
1:) VVitl^ ^ 



PUMPHREY. 







m^ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Shelf ..-^.3 ^ 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



L'-f'i, 



Plain Talks 



-.SJilDEflJ Jfp<?[IEI^S*. 



■BY- 



/ 



MARGUERITE PUMPHREY, 

PRINCIPAL OF TRAINING DEPARTMENT, STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 
KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI. 







They ivhotn truth anff tviscloni lead, / cXu / / / 
Van gather /'"»i^«' *t'n^it « n't^otT." 



(Jan gather honey from a iveeil. 

— Cotvpet 



\^^ K^ 



COPYRIGHT, 1893, 



MARGUERITE PUMPHREY. 

u 



G0XTEXT5, 



CHAPTER. • PAGE. 

I. INTRODUCTION, .... 9 

II. TRAINING DEPARTMENT, . . i6 

Hints on Entering, . • .16 

Directions to Observers, . • 17 

Directions tr Teachers, . . .20 

1. Neatness, ... 22 

2. Examination Papers, . . 23 

3. Relation to Observers, . . 23 

4. Journals, Professional Books, . 24 

5. Government, . ■ . • 24 

6. Records, Outlines, . . 25 

7. Teachers' Meetings, . . 27 

8. Substitutes, . . -27 

III. READING, .... 29 

1. Methods, . . • -29 

2. Order, .... 31 

IV. READING, ABOVE THE SECOND GRADE, 35 

Causes of Poor Reading, . 35 

Advanced Reading, . . -3^ 

V. LANGUAGE, .... 41 

Three Steps in Language Culture, . .41 

Character of the Work, ... 42 



Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 



Chapter. 


Page. 


VI. 


LANGUAGE, CONTINUED, 


45 




I. Correct Form, 


45 




2. Possessives, 


. 46 




3. Irregular Verbs, 


49 


VII. 


COMPOSITION, 


52 




I. Combining Sentences, 


52 




2. Correction of Written Work, 


53 




3. Pictures, 


53 




4. Reproduction Stories, 


54 




5. Plan, 


55 




6 Letters, 


55 




6. Outlines, . . . . 


56 




8. Ten Hints, 


59 


V^III. 


PRIMARY BOTANY. 


60 




Conversational Lessons, 


61 




Description of Parts, 


61 




The Stem, 


62 




The Root, . . . . 


63 




Parts of a Flower, 


.' 64 




Fruits, . . . . 


65 




Seeds, .... 


. 67 




Simple Questions Concerning Plants, 


67 


IX. 


NUMBER, .... 


. 69 




From I to 10, 


69 




Exercise, 


72 




Grouping, . , . . 


73 




Drills, .... 


. 76 


X. 


NUMBER, . . . . 


81 




From I to 20, 


81 




Combinations in Addition, 


82 



Contents. 5 

Chaptep. Paor. 





Combinations in Multiplication, 


83 




Yankee Multiplication Table, 


85 




The Ten Facts, 


86 


XI. 


ARITHMETIC, . . . . 


88 




Division, 


88 




Common Fractions, 


90 




Practical Measurements, 


93 




Percentage, 


95 




General Observations. 


• 96 


XII. 


GEOGRAPHY, 


98 




Methods, 


99 




Oral Geography, 


JOG 


XIII. 


ADVANCED GEOGRAPHY, 


112 




Outline on North America, 


112 




General Suggestions, 


117 




Map Drawing, 


119 




Test Questions for General Review, 


121 


XIV. 


HISTORY, . . . , 


123 




Divisions, Stories, 


• 123 




Details, — Geography, 


124 




Reference Books, Biography, 


125 




Outlines, 


126 




Dates, 


128 




General Suggestions, 


129 


XV. 


MISCELLANEOUS SUGGES TIONS, 


• 131 


XVI. 


GEMS, . . . . 


138 



PREF.tIGE 



This book, as its title indicates, was written in 
response to the constantly recurring demands for 
"something to give my class to-day." 

It is for the student teachers of Missouri that the 
"notes" and "experiences" herein embodied are in- 
tended — not for those who have grown gray in the 
school room and are text-books in themselves. 

The material has been slowly accumulating and 
has its various sources in educational journals, in 
hints and notes taken from observation of those whf> 
are acknowledged leaders of the ])rofessi()n — but 
more especially in promiscuous mingling with teach- 
ers during my eight years' institute work, and in the 
observation and guidance of the work of mj' own 
department, (Practice Dept. State Normal School.) 

The reader will probably find much that he knew 
before, but as a brief topical outline unifies and sim- 
plifies a mass of seemingly unrelated facts, so have 
I by this arrangement of school room technique en- 
deavored to make the young teacher more self-reli- 
ant and his work more systematic. 



8 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

The following subjects are discussed with various 
degrees o, completeness: Arithmetic, Reading La 

on Lessons, Du-ections to Teachers and Critics in 
he Praet,ce Department and other items of in e 
to teachers in general. 

r acknowledge my deep indebtedness to my fel- 
ow eaehers; to educational journals, to our rapi^ y 

a 3:L" f""' "'"•^'"'•«' -^ »« -"who 

oZ:tLlT ""'•'"''•-'' '^^'^ ^-^^^^^^^^ 

MARGUERITE PUMPHREY 
State Normal School, Kirksville, Mo 
March 25, 1893. 



CHAPTER L 

INTRODUCTION. 

In these ''plain talks with student teachers," which 
were written before this article, but for convenience 
come cifter, I have tried to give to my readers not a 
single method, but many, as well as a great variety 
of "ways and means." 

There has always been considerable complaint on 
the part of country teachers that books of this kind 
are not practical in their work and that there is '^not 
time enough" to apply their principles. In the 
school room the best method is ver}- often the crea- 
ture of conditions. A knowledge of methods, or sug- 
gestions, however pertinent, will not of itself 
be sufficient to make the instructor's work success- 
ful. The teacher must be back of the method. 

It is not all of life to live nor all of teaching to 
ask questions, grade answers and draw salaries. 

It takes no more time to use a good method than 
it does a bad one and often times the method is con- 
demned because it is used by a mere imitator who has 
no creative power of his own. There is an innate 
something in the true teacher that no normal 
school or college can manufacture, or offer any sub- 
stitute for. 2 



10 Plain Talks with STur3ENT Teachers. 

The great difficulty in the way \s—?iof lack of 
time— like the mantle of charity— a multitude of sins 
take refuge under the folds of that everlasting excuse 
— but an unwillingness in teachers to pay the price of 
success— untiring study, liard work and the cultiva- 
tion of that ringing desire to seize hold of what floats 
above them and appropriate what shreds they can. 

Ideals are a necessity and are so closely related 
to the real that a teacher without an ideal is a teach- 
er without a purpose. 

To the young teachers who this year, for the first 
time, have assumed the responsibility of teaching and 
who are eager, esivuest students this "talk" is intend- 
ed—not /o you norrtfyou, but icith you. My heart 
goes out to those 'prentice hands who are learning 
for the first time that nobility of soul depends upon 
the treatment given to the infant ideas born into it 
and the thoughts which come out through the doors 
of our mouths and hands. 

"Well begun is half done," so runs the proverb. 1 
believe firmly in the refining and governing influ- 
ence of good clothes. Some of you have very slen- 
der purses and have so many ways for your money 
you don't feel like spending it for dress, and yet so 
much depends upon your personal appearance. 
Children are very observant. Personal neatness is 
one of the absolute requisites for every teacher. 

Of course time will show the ability and real worth 
of the teacher, but there is much in first impressions. 



Introduction. ii 

and I believe in all reasonable efforts to make iUem 
pleasing. Girls, dress your hair becomingly, and tr}^ 
to wear dainty white aprons if your gown is old and 
worn. Wear the flowers the children bring you and 
see if you do not govern more easily when you give 
your dress a little attention and know that you look 
well. Young men, you cannot afford to be sting}^ in 
the use of clean collars because you teach in the 
country and see "nobody but the children." You 
can not afford to come before your pupils with a 
week's growth of stubble on your face simply be- 
cause it "hurts" to shave it off\ 

Have you ever talked with that boy who insists 
in lounging in his shirt sleeves, with collar thrown 
back? Have you spoken to that girl whose dress is 
so untidy you have blushed at her appearance? 
Don't make any fatal blunders here. Do it gently, 
kindly, tactfully. 

Gain in thinking power and methodical habits 
measures the value of school life. Teaching children 
to be neat is a matter of vital importance in a "prac- 
tical education." Instill if possible, a wholesome 
horror of scattering scraps of waste paper, apple 
cores and other refuse on the floor and pla3'-grounds. 

The first two rules Miss Willard, when she began 
to teach, laid down for herself were: 

I. Never let 3'our pupils feel that they under- 
stand you, or know what to expect from you. Ee- 
sort to expedients they least expect. 



12 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

2. Demand implicit obedience in smi^ll matters, 
and never yield a point. 

I can scarcely think of anything I should wish to 
impress upon the begir}ner more earnestly than the 
value of reserve force — particnlai-Iy in the matter of 
])nnishments. The teacher imperils her reputation 
for fairness when she punishes the whole class be- 
cause one pupil has done wrong. Don't be afraid of 
being "taken in." Better let the guilty one escape 
than to punish the twenty who are innocent. It is 
the certainty of punishment when the offender is de- 
tected, that deters from wrong doing rather than se- 
vere or indiscriminate punishments. 

Keep a check upon your words and upon your 
actions. Impress your pupils that you have reserve 
forces enough to carry your point. As a governing 
agent use your e^^es more and your tongue less. An 
ounce of prevention is worth ten pounds of cure. 

To Miss Willard's second rule I should like to add 
three of Anna C. Braekett's, viz.: 

1. Be sure you carr}^ out exactly all the direc- 
tions you give. Think well before giving them-, but then 
carry them out. 

2. No matter w^hat happens, be sure you keep 
3'our temper. 

3. If j'ou have made a false statement about any- 
thing in the lesson, don't be afraid to acknowledge it. 

But try to guard against the occasion for an "ac- 
knowledgement" by making thorough preparation 



Introduction. 13 

of every lesson, no matter how simple — that 5' 011 are 
to give the next day. "Too many classes," says the 
country teacher. Have 5^011 more than sixty-five pu- 
pils? If not, I am not asking you to do more than 
I have done myself — for which I received the sum of 
thirty-five dollars per month. If you want promo- 
tion, work for it, and you'll get it in the course of 
human events and the evolutions of the Honorable 
Board. 

Double your skill and then if possible double your 
salary. 'Tis the little annoyances that eat away the 
soul. Fight the little battles as conscientiously and 
vigorously as you do the greater engagements. 

Conquer the little spirit of indolence that tempts 
you to rely on the spur of the moment for an idea, 
but be sure to use an inspiration if you have it. Save 
the minutes, but not at the expense of the child's 
thinking power. The function of the school is to 
teach children to think — and not to secure certain 
memoriter results — or to secure the greatest number of 
ready made answers in the smallest number of min- 
utes. 

The character of the mechanical work in the lower 
grades is more important than in the higher since it 
is there that habits are formed which make students 
or idlers for life. 

After all, teaching is reduced to inspiration and 
influence of ideals. The more we can influence the 
better we can teach. 



14 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

In the Yosemite Valley there is a perpendicular 
cliff more than three thousand feet high. From one 
of the peaks of this cliff floats a white flag which 
marks Eagle Point, one of the highest observatories 
that overlook the Yosemite. 

This flag is both a challenge and a guide to trav- 
elers who are in the valley beneath. Accepting the 
challenge, tourists pick their way along the dizzy 
ledges of the precipice and after a four hours' climb, 
reach the tiptop point and find all the glories of the 
Sierra Nevada spread out beneath them. Even so in 
the educational world, signal flags flung out by 
some teacher whom we loved still send down the 
double invitation to look higher and live higher — for 
more accurate scholarship and better method. 

Method is the parent ol habit and habit is self. 
Every time a boy is required to stand erect, to as- 
sume a manly attitude and to look you honestly in 
the eye he becomes stronger and better developed 
morally as well as physically. There is no need of 
contemptuous noses rising heavenward at the idea of 
giving the children of our schools a certain amount 
of polish as well as the required amount of instruc- 
tion in the "three K's." ''The proof of the pudding 
is the eating" and something is certainly rotten in 
Denmark when it becomes necessary to call in the 
police to quell riots among school children on the 
street. All good teaching comes from ample knowl- 
edge. True politeness, springing from an inward 



Introduction. 15 

grace of spirit can be thoroughly taught only by 
those who are trained in the civilities and courtesies 
of polite social intercourse. This last is not gleaned 
from any author, but is the result of my own school 
life and observation of student teachers under me. 

I do not know that I can prescribe for a single 
individual, or advance many new methods but I do 
know that too many of our schools are in the hands of 
young people who fail to see that the essence of cour- 
tesy and decision of character can be united in one 
])erson and who are themselves desperateh" ignorant 
of the laws of culture, right methods of teaching and 
true school managemnet. 

"Education may help a man to form his mind; it 
cannot make it for him, though it may twist or crush 
it." Books on "Methods" help the young teacher 
but they do not make him. The power to teach a 
little depends upon the wish to know a great deal. It 
is conscious power that feeds itself wMth purpose and 
success. Tr}' to succeed, w^ork to succeed and thor- 
oughly^ believe in your own ability to succeed. 



CHAPTER 11, 
TRAINING DEPAETMENT. 

HINTS ON ENTERING. 

All who desire to work in this department must 
have taken at least one of the professional subjects 
indicated in the Methods Department and must pre- 
sent permit for enrollment as in any other class. 
Mention to training teacher all vacant hours you 
may happen to have and state which you prefer. The 
Principal will be glad to consult the preference of 
members of the class and note their choice as to 
work, but she can not promise to conform to these 
suggestions even so far as to make special arrange- 
ment to give observation all the time, as some re- 
quest, or teaching all the time as others desire. 

Members who have had no experience wnll be re- 
quired to observe before taking charge of a class. 

It is not convenient to allow students to take 
work in the training class for part of a recitation 
hour, nor to make out an hour's work by taking part 
of two recitation hours. Not only must the entire 
hour be spent in the room of the Model School to 
w^hich the student is assigned but all the time must be 
occupied in attention to the proper work of the 
hour. 



Training Department. 17 

Students will not offer themselves for work in the 
training department unless they are able and willino; 
to give as much time and thought to preparation for 
this hour's work as to the work of any other class in 
which they are enrolled. Aside from the general 
preparation which they have been making all the 
years of their school life, they are expected to make 
special study of each lesson and to conduct the reci- 
tation as far as possible without the use of the book. 
To secure this, students must provide themselves 
wnth text book in which class recites. 

DIRECTIONS TO OBSERVERS. 

Learn from teacher whom you observe what is 
the work ahead of class. Kemain in room to which 
you have been assigned, one week, taking such notes 
during that time as are most pertinent. These notes 
must be elaborated and expanded into a neatly writ- 
ten report and handed in every Monday morning. 
Such report will remain with the Principal until the 
time of teachers' meeting, when the observer may, at 
the discretion of the Principal, or desire of those 
present, be called upon to read it in the presence of 
the teachers assembled. 

In preparing report, try to remember that mis- 
takes are much more easily detected in others, than 
in one's self. You will understand, however, that 
those whose work you observe, want the plain facts 
and you can temper the harshness of your criticisms 



iS Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

by such explanations as you consider necessary. Do 
not hesitate to refer to pupils by name in giving ex- 
planations and suggestions. Be definite in what you 
say, and to that end base your remarks on the fol- 
lowing points: 1st. Preparation. 2nd. Recitation. 
8rd. Neatness. 4th. Government. 5th. Manner. 

Let your comments be patient and courteous, and 
do not feel obliged to explain everything, nor to ar- 
gue at length all debatable questions. In making up 
your report, observe the following form: 

Room, Grade, Hour, . . Date, 

Presented by . Observer. 

Examined by Training Teacher. 

Inspected by Student Teacher. 

A careful study of questions given below will be 
helpful and suggestive: 

I. — SUBJECT. 

1. What subject was taught? 

2. What was the object of the exercise? 

3. Did the pupils clearly understand the object? 

4. Did the teacher have a w^ell defined idea of 
the object? 

5. Was the object fully accomplished? 



Introduction. 19 

IT. — MATTER. 

1. Was the lesson of proper length? 

2. Was it adapted to the class? 

3. Did the recitation include all the matter as- 
signed for the lesson? 

4. Did the teacher introduce proper preparatory, 
collateral and supplementary matter? 

5. Did the teacher and pupils exercise care in 
the use of language, in pronunciation, in spelling, in 
writing? 

III. — METHOD. 

1. Was the method logical and good? 

2. Did the questions excite proper thought and 
lead the pupils from the known to the related un- 
known? 

3. Did the method tend to develop perception, 
memory, imagination, or reason? 

4. Did the teacher talk too much? Was he en- 
thusiastic? 

5. Was there sufficient drill, and proper material 
introduced for illustrations? 

IV. — DEPORTMENT. 

1. Was the teacher prompt, self-possessed and 
pleasant? 

2. Was the order good, and were the relations 
between teacher and pupils proper as shown in 
speech and manner? 



20 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

3. Are the pupils deepl}^ interested in the sub- 
ject? 

4. Did the distribution of material, the move- 
ments about the room, the position of the pupils, 
show order, neatness and system? 

5. Did the teacher exercise proper care in as- 
signing the next lesson? 

(a) Did he assign it before or after the reci- 
tation? 

(b) Did he state clearlj- what the next lesson 
would be? 

(c) Did he give proper suggestions as to its 
preparation? 

(d) Did he wisely refer points of to-day's les- 
son to next recitation? 

(e) Did he impress upon the class the points 
to be reviewed? 

DIRECTIONS TO TEACHERS. 

When your recitation hour arrives, you should 
be inside the room read}^ to receive your pupils, and 
should go with them to their class room if they re- 
cite elsewhere. Your predecessor should not leave 
the class till you come, but should report your delay 
if he is thereb}^ made late. If your class is to pass 
from the room, the teacher remaining in the room 
may be considered in charge of the room and should 
give the signals for passing. 

Do not call class roll, Eegular plans of sitting 



Training Department. 21 

can be given to your pupils and a plan ofseating laid 
out as early as the roll can be made. Pupils are 
passed from the i-oom or to the board by the follovv- 
ing signals: Eeady, Rise, Pass. The pupils will 
pass toward the back part of the room (i. e. from the 
exit) along all aisles except that nearest the door. 
When the weather is fair require all pupils to pass 
out into the yard and allow no one to return to the 
room until the entire line has passed out. When the 
weather is at all unpleasant, let such as wish remain 
orderly in seats until the line has passed out and 
then announce recess and allow them to converse 
quietly. At the ringing of the bell, all pupils must 
be sent from the rooms and formed in lines ready for 
marching. 

When the hour of your teaching is occupied by 
rhetoricals you will attend rhetoricals in the Normal 
department. 

Do not allow pupils to communicate without your 
permission either in classrooms or corridors while 
under your charge. Do not allow pupils to speak- 
out in recitation without your permission. To pre- 
vent this tendency, make concert recitations a very 
orderly exercise, if used at all. If, at any time, pu- 
pils become noisy and restless, stop the recitation at 
once. Do not make the mistake of trying to hear 
explanations or give instruction in the midst of dis- 
order. 

Grant pupils permission to leave the room, but 



22 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

take care to know that they do not stay out long. If 
one is out when you finish your recitation, report him 
to the next teacher. If you have reason at any time 
to suspect that any pupil too frequently asks to leave 
the room, confer with the training teacher. 

If, for any reason, you wish to take the responsi- 
bility of stopping a pupil from his J'ecitation, write a 
note to that effect to be presented to the succeeding 
teacher of the same class and he will recognize your 
authority and send the pupil out if he should present 
himself. 

Do not allow pu])ils to interrupt one M'ho is re- 
citing, by holding up hands or other demonstrations. 
The raising of the hand is a convenient signal to 
show who are ready to respond to the teacher's ques- 
tion, or who desire attention, but it should not be- 
come an offensive habit. 

Do not fail to know whether 3'our class are all 
provided with the material which thej^ have been di- 
rected to obtain and report any long continued neg- 
lect. 

Do not direct class to purchase any books or sup- 
plies of any kind without the advice of the Principal. 

Neatness. — Leave room in good condition — 
teacher's desk neat, floor free from papers or other 
litter, board clear of anything except what is mark- 
ed for preservation. Eequire all board work to be 
neatly and compactly arranged. Crayon and erasers 
must be collected at the close of each recitation, by 



Training Department. 



23 



monitors appointed for that purpose. Both teachers 
and pupils are expected to givecarefnl attention to 
their personal appearance as well as to the machiu- 
erj' of the class room. 

Examination Papers. — All exercise papers which 
you wish to return to pupils should be brought to 
the room arranged in the most convenient order for 
distribution duiing the recitation hour and under 
your supervision. On the monthly examination pa- 
pers, the grade of each topic should appearand the 
total grade should appear b}' the writer's name. 
This enables pupils to see the value of their answers. 
If many mistakes occur require pupils to rewrite, 
correcting errors. The pupil should fold by turning 
right hand margin over the left as the paper lies 
when he has finished the page, letting the paper 
crease down the center. Across the top of the paper 
as it now lies before him, let him write his name 
only. 

Any work 3'ou wish to put on the board while 
3'ou have charge of the class, as examination ques- 
tions, should be written for you by an observer or 
one ot the pupils. 

Relation to Observers. — It is expected that the 
teacher and his observer will be mutuallj^ benefited 
by their work together and that none but the most 
cordial relations will exist. The Principal will not 
expect to grade the teacher's work nor to form her 
opinion upon the statements of observer's reports. 



24 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

It is desired that teachers frequently refer to crit- 
ic's report and apply remedies therein suggested for 
faults observed. 

Journals, Professional Books, etc. — It is better 
to keep in your notes, copy of all outlines, etc., that 
you need to consult in your work, and leave in train- 
ing teacher's desk the papers, books and private ap- 
paratus that belong there. Suggestions by training 
teacher that are put in case for you to see are not. to 
be taken from the room under any circumstance. 
You may find it wise to take a copy. 

Teachers desiring information relative to school 
work will confer a favor upon the Principal by re- 
porting to her room during regular school hours and 
not at the noon intermission or after dismissal. Af- 
ter Principal has visited your room, see her for pri- 
vate conference in the same way. 

Government. — Corporal punishment at the hands 
of student teachers is absolutely forbidden for ob- 
vious reasons. Cut and dried rules cannot be laid 
down for the government of your class. Make the 
most of what nature has given you- -a strong eye, 
firm, low tone of voice, decisive, j^et deliberate ac- 
tion. Use public reproof sparingly — never until yon 
have tried to reach the pupil privateI3^ If the case 
is a grave one and one in which you do not care to 
assume the responsibility, report it at once to the 
Principal. 



Training Department. 25 

Records, Oltlines. — Before you take charge of a 
class, 

1. Decide what is to be done in to-da^^'s reci- 
tation. 

2. Decide what should be given for to-morrow's 
recitation, 

3. Copy from card in class room, the names, 
writing them in order. Study names and faces so as 
to call pupils at sight, but use the enrollment card if 
necessary to do so in recitation. If a teacher does 
not master the names of his class at a rate as rapid as 
ten per day, he should make it a matter for special 
study. In making up the monthly reports of pupils, 
teachers will consider the following points: 

1. Scholarship. 

2. Attendance. 

3. Tardies. 

4. Deportment. 

When your hour is omitted, see other teachers 
of your section and get the "attendance" and "tar- 
dies" from them. Carelessness in attending to any 
of these details is unpardonable. When pupil first 
presents himself after absence from the class, call for 
his excuse but do not send him from the room in de- 
fault of its presentation until he has come a second 
time without it. 

Pupils ai'e required to prepare missed or excused 
lessons and report to teacher when they have done 
so. If tlie failure to have the lesson on time is con- 



26 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

sidered oxciiBable, the teacher will, at the earliest 
opportunity, satisfy himself that the pupil knows the 
lesson. The teacher will use his own discretion as 
to the number of grades to give each })upil dnrins; a 
month. The month's standing, unless otherwise di- 
rected, will be made up of the two grades, one of 
which is the grade on a special review and is worth 
one-third — the other the average of all grades given 
on advance work given during tlie month — value 
two-thirds. 

By 3:00 P. M. the last Thursday of each month 
the pupils' report for the month should be made out 
and left on Principal's desk. 

Teachers will outline a week's work in advance 
and leave outline with the training teacher, reserv- 
ing a copy for his own use. In the preparation of 
these outlines it is expected that something will be 
done in the matter of method. Indicate brieflj^with 
each daj-'s lesson, anything special planned for con- 
ducting the recitation for the time. 

The lesson for the n^xt recitation should be as- 
signed at the beginning of the hour and be modified 
at the close of the hour as events require. For 
schools in general, the wisdom of this plan may be 
questioned, but the peculiar circumstances in our 
training school make it advisable here. The teacher 
who will let pupils find on board, when they come to 
school, the announcement of lesson for next day, may 
be allowed to keep the work on the board through 



Tkaininc] Departmknt. 27 

the lesson for wliich it is assigned if he will m;ii-k it 
"Do not Erase" and will erase when ready. 

Teachers' Meetings. — The general ineetinii; con- 
venes at 8:00 P. M. each Thursday and must be at- 
tende<l by all who are on the roll of the training- 
class. The grade meeting of each section is attended 
by all who (io any teaching or observing with that 
class, and all ai-e expected to join in discussion as to 
what may be done for the good of the class as a 
whole or for individual members. Should any be 
absent or tardy at the time of either grade or gener- 
al meeting, he will report at earliest opportunity to 
Principal for explanation and for conference con- 
cerning work missed. If excuse is considered vali(l 
it will be accepted, otherwise two demerits will stand 
against him. 

The afternoon of grade meeting is the most con- 
venient lime for appointments for personal confer- 
ence with training teacher, and those who wish to 
consult about their work should arrange before hand 
as to what hour they will come. 

Substitutes. — In case of absence it is important 
that the traim'ng teacher know in advance that such 
jtbsence is likely to occur;she is thus enabled to make 
her plans accordingly. One who is to be absent 
should, if possible, send in all written work, records, 
etc., so that the least possible confusion may result 
from the absence. The absentee should not engage 
a substitute without consulting the training teacher. 



28 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

The absentee, whether teacher or observer, will 
attend to his excuse in the same manner as in case of 
absence from an hour's work in the other Normal 
classes, and will be expected to makeup the lost time 
before finishing his teaching. 



CHAPTER Mi. 
READING. 

In the topic which is uow pi^esented, the reader 
is given the privilege of forming his own definition 
of the subject. I shall also concede to him the liber- 
ty of distinguishing between oral and silent reading, 
as well as all psychical observations on the child's 
mental outfit when he first enters school. 

Good reading implies two distinct processes car- 
ried on at the same moment, viz.: comprehension of 
the author's meaning, and power to convey to others 
an intelligent idea of it. There is little that can be 
said in regard to teaching primarj^ reading, that is 
new, but since so many inexperienced teachers start 
in the primary room, and since two-tbirds of the 
evils found in the upper grades are laid at the doors 
of the lower, a repetition of these "twice told tales" 
will be forgiven. 

The principal methods pursued in teaching chil- 
dren to read are: 

1. The ABC method. 

2. The w^ord method. 

3. The phonic method. 

The first method, which in former times was nsed 



30 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

almost cxclnsivelj', and is still used in many rural 
districts, f;nled--not because of inherent viciousness, 
but because it was used exchisiirhj, until the child, by 
countless repetitions, learned to associate with each 
character its appropriate sound, and through many 
tribulations, came into possession of a key to the lan- 
guage, which might have been put into his hands at 
tirst. 

The word metliod \i> advocated on the ground of its 
"affording more interest to the pupil, and so exciting 
his powers to more rapid acquisition. But the fact 
that the analysis of words into their elementary 
sounds is onlj^ postponed, and must be achieved soon- 
er or later, is frequently lost sight of by the teacher, 
in consequence of the satisfaction he derives from the 
rapid progress of the child in the knowledge of a 
certain number of words." 

The chief objection to the exclusive use of the 
phonic method lies in the fact that neither letters 
nor their sounds are the elements of ideas. The true 
starting point in teaching beginners to read, is the 
idea, followed, first, by its sound symbol — the spoken 
word — then by its corresponding foi'/n symbol as a 
whole — the written or printed word. All educat9rs 
are not yet agreed as to the best method, but the most 
natural and the most practicable method <'onsists in 
a union of all three, ^yord drill must precede sentence 
reading. 



Reading. 3* 

In sele'^'ting words to be learned, observe the fol- 
lowing order: 

1. Xames of familiar objects, as, cat, doll, ball, 
etc. 

2. Familiar quality words, as, goo<l, white, bad, 
etc. 

3. Familiar action words, as, run, jump, play, 
etc. 

4. Other words as required in forming phrases 
and sentences. 

For the first few lessons, the word method alone 
is needed, till the pupils gain some idea of the man- 
ner in which objects may be represented. Whether 
the word shall appear in print or script, depends up- 
on the judgment of the teacher, her surroundings, 
and her skill in presenting the work in hand. 

Present isolated words as wholes, making the as- 
sociation between the written or printed word, and 
the idea direct. Thus, the teacher having provided 
herself with a number of c(^mnion objects, such as 
ball, top, book, box, etc., engages the children in 
conversation. After each pupil has had a chance to 
talk, the teacher writes what the children say, and 
on the blackboard, sentences similar to the following, 
appear: 

I have a doll. 

I have a top. 

T have a box. 

I have a ball, etc. 



32 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

After all have read, the object words may be 
erased and others written in their places. If, at any 
time, children fail to recognize a wor(!, the object is 
shown and the word again written. Teachers should 
see to it that pupils do not contract the habit of read- 
ing in a questioning tone — closing the sentence with 
the rising inflection. Many little devices may be in- 
troduced by the thoughtful teacher, to sustain the 
interest and stimulate the laggards. The "word 
game" is always interesting and is certain to secure 
attention, particularly on reviews. It is a game of 
hide and seek, in which the teacher writes the 
word while the pupils have their faces turned from 
the board: at the signal, '^now," all turn and see 
who can recognize it first. As soon as a number of 
common words have been thoroughly learned, form 
them into sentences. At the same time, begin to an- 
alyze words into sounds. This may be done by tak- 
ing some sample word and pronouncing it slowly, 
and still more slowly until the sounds are widely 
separated. As each sound is given, teacher places 
her finger on the letter that stands for it. Children 
readily catch this slow pronunciation, provided the 
teacher uses perfectly natural tones, and are soon 
ready for the delightful and profitable exercise of 
word-building. Phonic analysis enables the children 
to feel, and to act upon, though unconsciously, the 
analogies pervading the words of the language. For 
example, having learned several words like cat, fat, 



Reading. 33 

hat, mat — the child will have no difficulty in pro- 
nouncing for himself such words as rat, sat, pat, bat, 
etc. Pupils will soon learn to rely on the analogies, 
and if the teacher is careful in her choice of lists, 
they mny do so sufely. 

I do not advocate the teaching of phonetics by 
means of diacritical marks, to children in the first 
grade; but I do believe iti teaching a child the sounds 
of certain letters which enter largely into the com- 
position of words. Gradually the names of the let- 
ters may be given, and, as in most cases, the name is 
similar to the sound, this will be no difficult task. 
There is much danger here that the child may form 
the habit of mere word pronunciation which lies at 
the foundation ot expressionless reading. A word is 
learned only by associating it with its idea; its mas- 
tery includes: (1) ability to recognize it at sight; 
(2) to utter it with accuracy and ease; (3) to spell it 
b}^ sound and letter; (4) to use it in a sentence. 

Id teaching new words, observe the following or- 
der: 

1. The idea represented by the word. 

2. The whole word as a sound, and its correct ut- 
terance by the pupil. 

3. The whole word as a form— its recognition at 
sight. 

3. The analj'sis of a word into its elementary 
sounds. 



34 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

5. The analysis of the written form into the let- 
ters which compose it. 

6. Grouping words into phrases and sentences, 
and their natural and correct utterance by the pupil. 

Not until all the words in a sentence are thus 
mastered by the pupil is he prepared to give expres- 
sion to the thought. 

Train pupils to look ahead and take in a group of 
words at a glance. 

In primary grades, where so many appeals are 
made directly to the eye, a bit of colored crayon is a 
wonderful help in teaching pupils to group the ideas 
w^hen passing the eye over the words, their visible 
signs, and aids in bringing out the strong words as 
distinguished from the weak words. Let pupils vol- 
unteer to tell the strong words and underscore words 
selected, with a colored crayon, and allow pupil who 
volunteered, to read the sentence as indicated by the 
marking: Permitting pupils to read aloud what they 
do not understand is the cause of those set tones so 
common among children, and which, w^hen the habit 
is once contracted, we find so difficult to correct. 



CHAPTER IV. 
READING, ABOVE THE SECOND GRADE. 

CAUSES OF POOR READING. 

1. SentimeDt and difficultness not adapted to the 
class. 

2. Lack of appreciation. 

Fluency in the utterance of sentences, without ap- 
preciation of their meaning, is a useless accomplish- 
ment. Repeatedly imitating the teacher in her read- 
ing, and listening to her rendering of many sen- 
tences, pupils can readily approximate an artistic 
style, but the}- have developed no power that they 
can utilize in learning the next lesson. 

It is better for a pupil to express the idea, even if 
he miscalls a word now and then, than to read all 
the words and have no idea. Pronunciation and ar- 
ticulation are important elemenls, but not chief. 

The following hints are suggestive: 

1. The elementary sounds of the language must 
be carefully taught. Teach pupils to pronounce dis- 
tinctly the last sound in every word. 

2. Question pupils concerni-ng the meaning of 
words, historical and other references. 

3. Constant attention should be given to bodily 
position. 



36 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

4. Pupils should write new words us a means of 
learning them. 

5. Do not find fault with a child's reading, nor 
tell him it is bad, unless you cdearly show where the 
fault is, and point out a better way. 

6. Require class to listen to itidividual readers, 
and tell what is well done, rather than to pick flaws. 

7. Require pupils to give purposes the author 
had in writing the piece. Lessons learned, virtues 
taught — kindness, patience, obedience, etc. 

8. It is time and labor saved in all other studies 
if pupils are taught to read intelligently as well as in- 
telligibly. 

9. Phonic drills and breathing exercises are ne- 
cessities in all grades. 

10. The pupil should be helped by means of ju- 
dicious questions, to discover for himself what in- 
flections to use and what words to emphasize. 

11. i^ewiem^er f/iaf, that pupil who takes an atti- 
tude of dignity and self-respect will make an honest 
and earnest efl'ort that insures progress and improve- 
ment. Moral—ljook out for the bent spines and con- 
tracted chests. The influence of physical conditions 
extend even to the mental and moral habits. 

ADVANCED READING. 

Enthusiasm is essential to good teaching in all 
branches, but especially when good reading is to be 
taught. No other class tests the culture and i^ood 



Reading, Above the Second Grade. 37 

breeding of the teacher as does the reading class. It 
is here that the enthusiastic, judicious teacher, fond 
of literature and conversant with its attributes, does 
her best work when she interests her pupils in the 
right way of using the reading art, shov;s them the 
value of reading ijood books, helps them in selecting 
books suited to their age and capacities, and aids 
them in discovering the best w^ay to read a book. 

While Longfellow and Whittier are essentially 
the children's poets, we can not hope to introduce 
our pupils to the gems of all writers; the most we 
can do is to use the selections given in our readers 
to the best advantage, and help our pupils to get 
hold of the thought and beauty for themselves. No 
one can choose for Another the exact selection which 
will be of most special benefit to that other's class. T 
have selected the "Elegy" because of its literary 
beaut}'^ and vivid word pictures. General help can 
be only faintly indicated— the crown of all good work 
is in its individuality. 

^^The curfew tolls the Imell of parting day, 
The lowing herds wind slowly o'er the lea, 
The jjloivman horn eivard plods his weary icay 
And leaves the world to darkness and to me." 

Preface the recitation with a short biographj' of 
the author. 1. Who was he? 2. Where and when 
did he live? 3. Principal works, prose and poetr}-. 
4. Things of special interest. In this connection 



3^ 



Plaix Talks with Student Teachers. 



mention the quotation so often use(i, yet so rarely 
ascribed to Crray — "Where ignorance is bliss," etc. 

In study i no the tir.st line, give history of the 
"curfew." What is the force of "tolls the knell?" 
Compare "parting <laj" and close of life — tolling 
bells in both instances. Time of dny in which poetn 
is supposed to have been written. 

In the second line, get pupils to imagine and de- 
scribe scenes of country life as indicated in the words 
"herd" and "lea." 

The third line will appeal strongly to country 
boys and girls. 

In the fourth lirip, speaU of the beautiful peace 
and rest of a summer twilight. 

Work on the imagination of your pupils. Re- 
member your own childhood, and the times you have 
guided the "lowing" cows up from "the far pasture." 
Now that the pupils are thoroughly familiar with the 
words and their significance, the}^ are ready for the 
reading — not in a perfunctorj- manner, but with a 
hearty appreciation of the poet's thought. 

''Noiv fades the (jUmmeriny hoidscape on the si(jht," 

Change of time — what is it? Have pupils close 
their eyes and imagine the picture. What emotions 
they feel! The sun has gone down and the stars are 
coming out. All around there seem to be creatures 
of intelligence, although unable to utter a word of 
what we call language, but capable of communicating 



Rkading, Ahovk the Skcond Gradp:. 39 

with tnMD. Force of the vvor<i "glimmering." Chang- 
it g light — ohjects nt first bright and then faint — ad- 
vancing and then i-eceding. 

^'And all the air a solemn stdlneiis hohJs^" 

(':in we think of the air as being filled with si- 
letK'e as a sponge is saturated with water? 

Save w/ien t/ie beetle wheels his /Ironing flight, 
And drowsy t inklings lull the distant folds.'' 

Put aside the rougher work of the day and give 
the authoi- an oj)i)ortunity. Ask pupils how the bee- 
tle "wheels his droning flight." Explain the next 
line by asking some bov what is meant by the ''bell 
wether." What is the force of the word "folds" in 
this line as distinguished from the word "herd" in 
the second line of the first stanza. Speak of the 
faint, sw(^et sounds of night. 

Do not attempt the reading until the word pic- 
tures have been vividl}^ brought out. Of the four or 
five so-called reading lessons ])er week, at least half 
of the time ought to be sacred to the introduction of 
good literature. Reserve the other balffor giving 
information, a direct drill in word calling, voice cul- 
ture or what yoK will — the first half vvill be the re.al 
reading lesson — and will live long after your ears are 
stilled to earth's noises. 

Don't belittle the rainbows and sunsets, the 
mountain })eaks and oeeati tempests of literature by a 



40 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

vuli^ar anal} si? into a collection ot metnphoi's and 
si miles. 

Teach pupils that while we^'cad to ij;ain informa- 
tion and to impart it, we also read for pleasure. The 
great mass of pupils need to be taught how to read 
common litei'ature lodl more than how to read a few 
pieces admirably. Of course the fl wer the pieces 
that may be read, the less the probability of acquir- 
ing a taste for good reading. In leaching elocution, 
concert reading is almost an indispensable helper, 
but in simple class reading, the results are usually 
deleterious, rather than otherwise. 

Eequire your pupils to memorize selections that 
are models of description or ?iarration — finally^ grati- 
fy your own hunger and thirst after the ideal — only 
he, whose own soul is luminous with the love of good 
literature, is worthy to interpose between the soul of 
an author and that of a child. 



CHAPTER V. 
LANGUAGE. 

In DO department of school work is there allowed 
a broader scope or wider range for the inventive 
power of the teacher than that upon which we are 
just entering — "Language woi'k" — terms suggestive 
of wordy battles in which it is finally declared that 
"nine-tenths of ttie time devoted to this preparatory 
work is wasted in deadening routine." We turn our 
eyes in the opposite direction for the solution of the 
problem and are assured that "accuracy of statement 
and effectiveness of style can never be acquired by 
parsing and analyzing the productions of others." 

For every month in the year we can show a new 
language book or grammar, hence among such a 
multitude of text books there is but a small chance 
for the display of originality, and yet we have no ac- 
cepted method of teaching English. All, however, 
agree that ready expression is the thing desired. 

Expression presupposes thought, and this, in turn, 
implies previous observation. The three steps in 
language culture then are: 1. Perception. 2. Con- 
ception. 3. Expression. 



42 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Carelessness in the first produces imperfect 
thought and is followed by little or no expression. " 
Accuracy is not a characteristic of the young begin- 
ner: as, for exanaple, he is called upon to describe 
the long suifering cat, he begins by saying, "x\ cat 
has two ears," and in the same breath closes his 
brief description by adding "and a tail." A rapid 
sketch of such a cat will show pupil's mistake and 
aid in getting the natural order of head, neck, body, 
legs, feet and tail. 

Don't try to make the child see everything in the 
object that you see after having spent a half hour in 
studying it, and remember it is easier for a pupil to 
tell how a thing acts or what it does than to describe it. 

To insist upon absolute precision, at first, then, 
would be a mistake, particularly when we recall that 
the stimulus of interest, o^ continued interest, is a posi- 
tive necessity in all mental activity and that it is sure 
to be destroyed by a pedantic and tiresome insist- 
ance on accuracy in early stages; and yet the necessi- 
ty of careful training in this direction is evinced in 
the following: "People are prone to mingle wild 
conjectures and hasty inferences with their observa- 
tions in such a confused manner as to be almost hope- 
less. They have not the habit of confining them- 
selves to what the}' actually observe, but imagination 
is used to supplement, to a very large degree, the use 
of their five senses. Hence, people who have a sin- 
cere desire to tell the truth, sometimes make sorry 



Language. 43 

work of it, even when under oath on the witness 
btand " 

Apropos of pupil's '-desire to tell the truth" — I 
do not think it is strengthened by writing sentences 
that are in themselves untruths. To illustrate- — pu- 
pils are asked to write sentences using the different 
forms of the verb hreak^ and in the process write, "my 
arm is broken'' — a lie in a thousand cases where it 
happens to be the truth in, perhaps, the fractional 
part of one. I cannot decry too strongly the prac- 
tice of indiscriminate sentence making, simply for 
the sake of illustration. The sentence should be the 
outgrowth of the illustration — not as a means to it. 



CHAPTER VL 
LANGUAGE, CONTINUED. 

The pupil's work the first school year is of neces- 
sity largely oral. Indeed the oral expression should 
precede the written all along the line. He first be- 
gins by observing and naming things intelligently' — 
a first step is to point out things and name them and 
to point out things named by the teacher. 

Insist upon correct pronunciation and good ar- 
ticulation. ''The consecrated cross-eyed bear" prob- 
ably had his origin in some remote language class. 

Pupils, as soon as practicable, should be taught 
the formation of complete sentences, thus teaching 
by induction the difference between the sentence and 
the phrase. 

The first step in written work is copying a sen- 
tence in which pupil's own Dame is probably the first 
word recognized. Other names are then written and 
attention called to capital letters. Right here, while 
the child turns to the board to write his first sen- 
tence, is the time to begin the formation of those 
habits of attention and neatness so essential to prog- 
ress. Teach the pupils to use the eraser only when 
his work is completed, and he will proceed more de- 



Language, Continued. 45 

Hberately and make fewer false strokes. Allowing 
constant erasure of work is also the source of much 
carelessness. How often have I seen pupils at the 
black board, eraser in one hand, crayon in the other, 
and both working with equal rapidity. If a child is 
taught from the beginning to work as carefully upon 
the board as if erasure were impossible, far better 
results would be obtained in "blank block" written 
lessons. 

In all copying from the board or reader, careful 
attention must be given to capitalization, spelling, 
and punctuation. Dictation exercises, comprising 
written work previously copied, or combinations of 
familiar words may be profitably introduced here. 

Insist on correct /o?'//i in written work. The fol- 
lowing points are commonly used: 

1. Pupil's name on upper right hand corner. 

2. Teacher's name on upper left hand corner. 

3. Title in center of page. 

4. A hyphen at the right to show the division of 
a word, when the line is not long enough to contain 
the whole of it. 

6. A capital letter at the beginning of each sen- 
tence. 

7. An interrogation mark at the close of each 
question. 

8. A period at the close of a declarative or im- 
perative sentence. 

Much time should be spent upon the correct use 



46 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

ofspecia] words and forms of expression commonly 
misused. Children are close imitators, and in no 
other line of work is the teacher's influence more 
potent. Is your language pure, strong, truthful? 
Watch yourself carefully through one entire day and 
cast up your accounts. You will be startled at the 
result, and perhaps discouraged. Of what use is it 
that you have a whole library of "Language Helps" 
at your elbow if your directions are given in lan- 
guage like the following: "Each pupil may take 
their slate," etc.? 

In nothing is the life of a nation more plainly re- 
vealed than its language and in nothing is the innate 
culture of a teacher more clearly demonstrated than 
in the pure, clean-cut words that fall from her lips. 

As the pupil passes from grade to grade, written 
work comes more and more into use. Especial at- 
tention will be required in sentences beginning with 
the word "there." Example: — "There is a box on 
the table." Then when the noun is plural as, "There 
are boxes on the table." 

When the children have learned to readily dis- 
tinguish names that mean "one" and "more than 
one," teach the rule for the possessive singular and 
plural of nouns. 

I. The possessive of singular nouns is fcrmed by adding 
the apostrophe and s. 

1. The crow's feather's are black. 

2. The bird's nest is in the tree, etc. 



Language, Continued. 47 

The apostrophe and s are joined to bird to .show 
that the bird has, or possesses, a nest. 

Teach difference between chief word, jiest, and the 
helping word, bmVs. Notice that the nest is in the 
tree — bird's tells whose nest and so helps the subject. 

DrdI, drill, drill until you have thoroughly im- 
pressed the fact that each of these possessivcs means 
but one, and that the apostrophe precedes the s. 

By means of sentences, develop the second part 
of the rule, viz.: 

//. T/ie possessive of plural nouns ending in s is formed bi/ 
the addition of the apostrophe. 

Again I would emphasize the importance of thor- 
ough and intelligent repetition until there is no dan- 
ger of pupils' confusing the two forms. The learn- 
ing of the rule will amount to nothing without much 
practice and application. 





EXERCISE. 




cat 


girl 


bird 


man 


woman 


child 


boy 


horse 


tree 


cow 


doll 


dog 



Make twelve sentences, using each of the words 
above to show possession. 
The (jirVs apron is torn, etc. 



48 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Change each of your sentences so us to make the 
helping words mean more than one. Ex. — 

The girls' aprons are torn. 

Eemember 

Names are made to mean more than one by adding s or 
es. 

When a name has added s or es to denote more than 
one, The apostrophe alone is added to show possession. 

To all other names the apostrophe and s are joined to 
shoiv possession. 

Don't hurry. Eeview frequently. 

Teach use of the apostrophe in contractions. Dis- 
tinguish between contractions and abbreviations. Use 
of the apostrophe in one, the period in the other. 

Teach children to avoid the use of: 

Don't for doesn't; he don't know his lessons, 

Learn for teach, 

Have got and has got, to denote possession. 

Can instead o{ may, in asking permission, and all 
local irregularities of speech. 

It is hardly probable that your pupils will sa}^ 
they is, he were, etc.j but much drill will be required to 
overcome the use of don't for doesn't, ivas for ivere — 
especially with yon — and even teachers are not al- 
ways discriminating in the use of learn and teach. 

Simply correcting the error when it occurs is not 
enough. Systematic practice upon the right form 
must follow quickly and surely. Many valuable les- 
sons are lost for lack of reviews and drills to fix the 



Language, Continued. 49 

impreasion — like Burnts' snowflake in the river they 
are for the moment, only — '^vhite then, lost forever." 

No part of the English language is more produc- 
tive of blunders than the irregular verbs, and in no 
exercise can be made Jiiore interesting to children 
than learning their correct use. Below is given a 
list of the most difficult verbs, also a sample lesson 
to illustrate method of presentation. The list will 
require long and patient drill and may be pleasanth^ 
varied by incidental exercises on homonyms, for in- 
stance in teaching the verb "see," the noun sea ma-y 
be introduced and diiference in use and orthography 
noted. 



see 


do 


come 


ring 


lie 


lay 


set 


sit 


eat 


sing 


fly 


break 


know 


write 


fall 


beat 


drink 


teach 


learn 


rise 


go 


hear 


find 


lose 


give 


take 


tear 


make 


hurt 


blow 


draw 


begin 


drown 


freeze 


hang 


grow 


bring 


steal 


read 


buy 



Suggestions in teaching the verb see. 
Pupils take places at the board. Teacher re- 
quires pupils to name various objects they see in 
the room. Pupils turn to board and write, under- 



50 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

gcoring the word that tells what they do. The same 
form, see, occurs in all the sentences. 

Pupils are then asked to think of the action as 
occurring yesterday — thus securing the form of the 
past tense. Sentences are again written and the ac- 
tion word underscored. 

To secure the participle^ ask pupils if they can 
think of a third word similar in meaning to the two 
already noticed. Among the various answers given, 
some will be correct and the teacher writes the three: 
see, saw, seen, children copying. 

Call for sentences like the following: 

1. I see the stove now. 

2. I saw the stove yesterday. 

To use seen for saw in the second sentence would 
be incorrect. 

Pupils are asked to think how they could nse seen 
and give a correct sentence. 

By judicious questioning and from pupils' own 
answers, the following forms can be secured: 

have'^ 

SEE, SAW, has y SEEN. 

had ) 

Write five sentences using saiv correctl}^ 
Write three sentences using have seen; three using 
has seen; three using had seen. Read these sentences 
until the verbs sound natural. Have pupils copy, 
and drill until they remember that 



Language, Continued. 51 

^'Seen must never be used by itself as the chief part that 
tells r 

To correct "I seen," ask, several mornings in suc- 
cession, ^'what did you see on your wa}^ to school 
this morning?" Write pupils' answers on the board 
and when a dozen have been given, have a rapid con- 
cert and individual drill upon them, the children re- 
peating them a number of times. As the children 
get used to the recitation and understand the requir- 
ments of the teacher, the questions may be brief, sim- 
ply to suggest the idea. For instance, if the recita- 
tion is to be upon the verb, "to go," ask pupils to use 
some form of "go" wnth to-morrow, next week, yesterday, 
have, has, had, etc. If the development work has been 
well done^ the answers will be correct. 



CHAPTER VIL 
COMPOSITION 

Perhaps the greatest danger teachers are likely 
to encounter in beginning composition work is in the 
careless arrangement of sentences. Following the 
simple statements, teach pupils the art of putting 
sentences together. 

EXERCISE. 

1. My sister has a canary, 

2. He lives in a cage. 

3. The canary has two wings. 

4. The butterfly has four wings. 

5. The bee has four wings. 

My sister has a canary that lives in a cage. 

The canary has two wings, but the butterfly and 
the bee have four wings. 

Children often write a whole page without the 
proper separation of sentences one from the other, 
repeating "and/' "but/' and "then" over and over 
again. This difficulty occurs, of. course, in picture 
work, reproduction stories, and in lessons where the 
line of thought is continuous. 

Be definite yourself in your requirements. Let 



Composition. 53 

pupils write answers to a series of related questions 
you have placed on the board, confining themselves 
strictly to the questions as they come. Afterwards 
the w^ork may be re-written, connecting such ansv^-ers 
as are most closely related. 

And now for the correction of written work. Sup- 
pose it is board work instead of "blank block" and 
])encii. The following method is my own and one I 
have used with great success. Like the Catholic 
church, I believe in educating a child negatively un- 
til he reaches a certain stage of maturit}^ hence, to 
prevent, as far as possible, all presentation of false 
syntax. With crayon in hand, I pass rapidly around 
the class, crossing out a mis-spelled word here, a mis- 
placed capital there, and indicating other mistakes 
easily detected. 

Not a word is uttered. Each pupil goes over his 
own \vork, and in many cases, is able to make his 
ow^n corrections so that at the close of the recitation 
the number of mistakes to be brought before the 
class is much smaller than it otherwise would have 
been. 

Pictures that exercise both the power of observa- 
tion and the imagination form fruitful themes for 
composition writing. Use care in selecting. The 
subject of the picture should be. very prominent and 
easily understood. Begin with oral work. Best re- 
sults are obtained by oral class study the first daj- 
followed by written work the next. Teach pupils to 



54 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

observe systematically. Some see far more than 
others. Some see a cjreat deal by the force of imag- 
ination^ others see but little and need help. Put up 
a picture and talk about it, making a long story. 

1. Notice objects in the foreground and see what 
relation they bear to each other. 

2. Notice objects in the background and note 
nearness or remoteness to objects previously men- 
tioned. 

3. Position of principal figure or figures and ef- 
feet of same. 

After all is gotten that can be secured in the way 
of observation and simple inferences from what is 
seen, cultivate pupils' power of imagination. In the 
same way the work of the Geography hour n»ay be 

utilized Let pupils take imaginary journeys, relate 

incidents of the trip, describe appearance and cus- 
toms of people visited. Young teachers are caution- 
ed here to guard against the too frequent use of pic- 
tures, since in the constant recurrence of even a good 
thit)g, the story writing loses the all important ele- 
ment of freshness and surprise. 

Asa means of getting thought, as well as of ex- 
pressing thought, Reproduction stories are peculiarly 
valuable. They furnish an excellent opportunity^ for 
conversation, secure attention and, as a written ex- 
ercise, are a means of teaching punctuation, capitali- 
zation and spelling. 

^I^sop's Fables are always fresh and delightful. 



Composition. 55 

Where the story is a classic one, as is generally 
the case, it is a ^ood plan to 

1. Have the story read aloud to the class in its 
original form hy the teacher or h}" one of the pupils 
who is a good reader. 

2. Teacher should question ])iipils ab(tut the 
story. 

3. Several pupils may ihen repeat the story or- 
ally from memory. 

4. An outline should then be placed on the board 
to serve as a guide, to suggest ideas and to assist ])u- 
pils to arrange their ideas in an orderly manner. 

5. The story is reproduced in writing. 

How few pupils, even in the rhetoi'ic class, after 
listening attentively to a lecture, can remember, and 
reproduce in writing, its salient features. 

As power to think is developed, a wider range is 
given: numerous written exercises that give excel- 
lent drill in composition are required of pupils in 
their various studies. Written reviews and written 
lessons are of this character. 

Letters of business, of friendship, of introduction, 
etc., should be frequently written. Eegular "compo- 
sitions'* on fjimiliar concrete subjects should be given 
in such a way as to discipline the mind to arrange 
methodically the material it uses. 

The analysis of objects into parts on the basis of 
material, then of use or design may be taught, and 



56 



PiAiN Talks with Student Teachers. 



the pupils required to analyze other objects in thf^ 
same manner. 

ANALYST*^ GUIDE FOR COMPOSITION. 

The following may serve as a hint to pupils in 
the preparation of abstracts in the language lesson. 

7. Inanimate Objec's. 

1. General descriplion, of what composed, where 
found, for what used, shape, size, etc. 

2. Parts — name, number and position. 

3. Qualities and uses. 

Below is given an outline of composition on 
"Cotton:" 

COTTON. 

fshrub, three to fifteen 



1. The plant 



2. The fruit 



Grows in 



I feet high, 

-\ leaves are dark green 
I and large, 

1^ flowers yellow or purple. 
C forms after the flower 
j falls ofi\ 

made up of cells filled 

with cotton, 

is the size of a walnut, 

seeds are plentiful, 
fwarm countries, 
I first found in (-hina and 

India, 
I South America, 
I Africa, 
I Southern States. 



Composition. 57 

4. Noted kimls j ?'''''"''' . 

{ Sea Island. 

f planted in April, 

I in rows about four feel 

I apart, 

I thinned out several 

5. Cultivation ^ times, 

I blossoms in July, 

I fruit bursts, showing the 

I cotton, 

l^pods picked and dried. 

f cotton separated from 
I seeds by the cotton gin, 

6. Manufacture ^ packed in bales, 

I spun and woven into 
[cloth. 

- TT f clothing is made of cot- 

/. Use i . if; 

ton cloth. 



II. Animals. 

1. Foreign or native. 

2. Wild, tame or domesticated. 
8. Size, parts, covering. 

4. Habits. 

5. Uses, living or dead, of its parts or as a 



whole. 



58 



Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 



Outline of composition on "The Frog:" 

THE FROG. 

f four legs, no tail, 



1. Appearance 



2. Classification 



3. Peculiar traits 



Habits 



5, Varieties 



Uses 



large mouth, 
I small bod}', 

^ hind legs longer thnn 
I the others, 
I webbed feet, 
l^long tongue. 

vertebrate, 

reptile without scales, 

called a hdtrachian. 
["cold blooded, 
I tongue attached to front 
I of mouth arid points 
I backward, 
^ young frogs breathe by 
I means of gills, 
I old frogs have luui^s, 
I young frog is called a 
1^ tadpole, and has a tail, 
flays eggs in the water, 
I eats insects and worms, 
-\ lives near ponds and 
I streams, 
I leaps and swims. 
r Green Frog, Wood Frog, 
} Leopold Frog, Picker- 
( el Frog, Bull Frog, 
"destroys insects injur- 
ious to plants, 

eaten as food in France 
and Germany. 



Composition. 59 

ten hints. 

1. Children must think well before they can 
write well. 

2. The purpose of language lessons is to teach 
the language by means of the language. 

3. Children talk best about what they see. 

4. The point of difficulty is to stimulate and di- 
rect thought in the minds of pupils, and this must be 
done by skillful questioning, an(J suggestions. 

5. A chihi's vocabular}^ will grow as fast as he 
has any desire to use it. 

6. No mistake should remain incorrected, but all 
presentation of false syntax should be avoided. 

7. Children use all parts of speech of their own 
account before they are four years of age. 

8. Care should be taken to have plenty of oral 
work, as most people have more occasion to talk 
than to write. 

9. When a child can write easily he likes to 
write. 

10. Written work should be incidental rather 
than formal, a luxui'y instead of a task. 



CHAPTER Vlil. 
PRIMARY BOTANY— OUTLINE STUDY. 

As supplementary to the coui-se in language Just 
given, and as a new and delightful source of interest, 
after the long winter months' work in arithmetic and 
history, a few minutes each day, devoted to natural 
science will be a grateful change. 

The old farmers of your district will insist on 
reading, writing and arithmetic, and will probably 
ridi(!ule, or even oppose, the idea of studying plants 
and insects; nor does the difficulty of introducing 
such studies lie wholly with the patrons. Many 
teachers prefer the plain bread and butter lessons, 
since it is so much easier to go on in the old way, do- 
ing sums and parsing nouns and verbs. 

Of course the reader will understand that this 
outline is intended to be only suggestive help where 
it is not practicable or desirable to place the text- 
book in the hands of pupils. Whether the attention 
of the class can be profitably' directed to the consid- 
eration of more or less than is given in this outline, 
will depend upon the age of the pupils, time that can 
be given to the subject, and tact of the instructor. 



Primary Botany— Outline Study. 6i 

The following topics indicate the general order 
of observation work: 

1. CONVERSATIONAL LESSONS ON PLANTS. 

Teach name of parts: root, stem, leaves, flowers, 
fruit, and seed. Excite interest by having pupils 
bring in plants of their own selection, root and all. 
This will inspire confidence and afford abundant ma- 
terial for individual observation. Pupils tell how, 
when, and where specimen grew, in short, complete 
sentences. 

II. DESCRIBE PARTS. 

Teach pupils to name and describe parts of a leaf. 
1. Petiole, 2. blade, 3. stipules, 4. veins. 

a. The petiole IS narrow. 

b. The blade is broad. 

c. The stipules are like little blades at the end 
of the petiole. 

d. Veins are in the leaf. They are usually 
hard. 

Sustain the interest by plenty of out door work. 
Encourage pupils to bring in leaves of all kinds, but 
don't load them with technicalities. Leave the de- 
tails of margins, bases, and apices for the advanced 
classes. Pupils enjoy tracing- the outlines of leaves 
on the board. Indeed, a true knowledge of plants 
cannot be gotten without the daily use of the board. 
When preparing lesson, think what points can be il- 



62 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Instrjite'l to advantage on the black board. Wben 
you have decided on your sketches, practice them 
ovei' and over again uritil you can draw the outline 
unhc-^itatingly, and well enough to insure recogni- 
tion. 

2. Notice arrangement of leaves on the stem. 

3. Get pupils to see venation by holding up 
leaves between themselves and the light. Kinds of 
venation observed. 

Uses of the leaves. 

ri. Beauty. 

a. To the plant ■< 2. Plants breathe through 

(^ their leaves. 

ri. Food. 

b. To man ) 2. Medicines. 

(3. Perfumeries. 

III. THE STEM. 

The stems bear the branches and leaves, hold the 
plants in position and furnish the canals thi-ough 
which the sap passes from the roots to the other or- 
gans of the plant. 

Buds grow on the stems and are full of little 
leaves. 

Flowers grow on the stems and are bright col- 
ored. 

The fiuit grows upon the stems and has seed in it. 

HoiV stems grow. In comparing the stems of var- 
ious plants, it will be seen that the stems of most 



Primary Botany— Outline Study. 63 

common plants, grow from the outside. A cross sec- 
tion of the trunk of one of our common trees will 
illustrate the point. Other stems have woody threads 
running lengthwise. These stems increase in size 
by having new threads added and mixed in with the 
old. Corn, pinks and lilies have this kind of stems. 
Pupils have observed that all stems do not grow 
erect. Some lie prostrate on the ground, others are 
ascending, some are cUinbing, others twining, etc. 

IV. THE ROOT. 

Describe the root as that part of the plant that 
grows downward into the earth. 

1. Uses. (1.) To gather up nourishment for the 
other parts of the plant. (2.) To serve as a support 
for the plant, holding it firmly in position. 

Pupils compare their plants and notice that roots 
differ in size, shape, manner of growing, and length 
of life. 

2. Classification of roots according to length of life. 
May be taught by referring to seed planting in the 
spring. The only text-book needed by the pupils, is 
the garden they have to hoe. They know that many 
seeds sprout in the spring, grow, and the plants blos- 
som during the summer, and die at the first appear- 
ance of winter. Ask them to give examples of such 
plants — and give the term, annual. Another class of 
garden plants, such as beets, turnips, cabbage, etc.. 
do not bloom the first 3'ear, but live two years, 



64 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

thouiJ^h they look dry and withered in winter. 
These roots are biennial. The trees, rose-bushes and 
shrubs that live from year to year in the yard at 
home, belong to yet another class — perennial. 

( annual — one year. 
Words to remember-] biennial — two years. 

(^ perennial — from year to year. 

V. teach pupils to name and describe parts of a 

FLOWER. 

Sepals, petals, stamens, pistils. 

By pulling to pieces, pupils see the different 
parts of which it is composed. 

The sepals are the outer parts of a flower. They 
are usually green, and make a short cup. All the 
sepals form the calyx. 

The petals 'dve next inside the calyx. They are 
usually bright colored and are the part we notice 
first. All the petals form the corolla, which means a 
crown. 

The stamens are next inside the corolla and have 
two parts; one is like a thread; this is called the fila- 
ment, and is crowned with a little yellow head called 
the anther. 

The pistils are in the middle of the fiower and 
have a green, sticky covering. They are larger at 
the bottom than at the top. The large part at the 
bottom is the ovary. The part at the top is the stig- 
ma. Between the two is the style. There are some 
little bodies in the ovary called ovules. 



Primary Botany — Outline Study. 65 

The Arrangcmnit of Blossoms. 

In studyirjg the parts of flowers, it has already 
been seen that the}" vary in color, shape, fragrance, 
number of parts, etc., but we observe that some 
plants, as the lily, bear a single flower on a long 
stem; such flowers are solitary. Again, all have seen 
the milkweed, geraniums, etc.; flowers like these are 
clustered. 

Uses of Flowers. 

rr 4.U 1 * (1- Beauty. 
10 the plant ^ „ rv 1 4.u i- ■* 

' (2. To produce the fruit. 



a. 



b. To man 



{I 



Perfumeries. 
2. Medicines. 



VI. FRUITS. TEACH PUPILS TO DISTINGUISH KINDS. 

Begin by asking pupils to bring in a uollectioo of 
eatable fruits, seed pods of flowering plants, and pic- 
tures of fruit. 

Fruit includes all kinds of seed holders, whether 
they are apples, berries, locust pods, or maple keys. 

F()r convenience, fruits are divided into three 
classes: 

1. Fleshy fruits, such as currants, grapes, oranges, 
etc. Definition — Fleshy fruits have flesh}- coverings 
and many seeds. 

2. Stone fruits, such as peaches, plums, cherries. 
These are fruits whose outer parts are pulpy, but 



66 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

within are hard like a nut or stone. Slones are not 
seeds, but contain the seed. 

3. Dry fruits have no fleshy parts. They look 
like seeds. Familiar examples — wheat, oats, corn, 
pods of peas, beans, etc. 

Uses of Fruits. 

rr 4i 1 * i ^- Beauty. 

a. To the plant \ ^ rn . i j ^i a 

^ ( 2. To hold the seed. 

u rr f 1. Food. 

b. 10 man < ^^ »t j- • 

{ 2. Medicine. 

Comparison of Fruits, 

THE APPLE. THE ORANGE. 

Kind — flesh3^ fleshy. 

Shape — somewhat spher- nearly or quite spheri- 

ical. cal. 

Color — vary \i\g, red, yel- orange. 

low and green. 

Size — similar, large and similar, large and small. 

small. 

Outside — thin skin. leathery skin or rind. 

Inside — solid pulp, en- juicy pulp, in sections, 

closing a thin, normal number, ten, va- 

fine parted mem- I'ying from eight to elev- 

^ brane, in which en or twelve. 

are the seeds. 

Seeds — brown, oval, white, loose in sections, 

number varying varying in number, 

in case. somewhat oval. 



Primary Botany — Outline Study. 67 

VII. SEEDS. 

Teach pupils to observe: 

1. Pnrl^; — (ioats, kernel. 

2 . Growth — g e 1' m i 1 1 { » t i n . 

3 Distribution — by wind, water, birds. 

Uses of Seeds. 

a. To the plant — Reproduction of plant. 

r 1. Food. 

b. To man } 2. Medicine. 

(3. Oil. 

Vin. TEACH PUPILS TO GROUP PLANTS INTO: 

1. Food plants, as frnits, grains, vegetables. 

2. Clothing plants, as cotton, flax, hemp. 

3. Building woods, as bamboo, mahogany. 

IX. SIMPLE QUESTIONS CONCERNING PLANTS. 

1. Name five wild flowers found in earl^- spring. 

2. Od what trees do the flower buds open before 
the leaves? 

3. Name five garden flowers that blossom in the 
early spring. 

4. Mention three plants whose stems grow from 
the inside. 

5. Mention some plant grown for its foliage. 

. 6. Mention three plants that liketo live in shady 
places. 

7. Name ten kinds of plants that grow from the 
seeds. 



68 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

8. Name five kiods of plants that do not grow 
from the seeds. 

9. What is an evergreen tree? 

10. What are deciduous trees? 

11. Mention five kinds of grasses. 

12. What are grasses good for? 

13 What is sometimes the reason wh}' some 
plants have an unpleasant odor? 

14. What is needed to make plants grow? 

15. What are the leaves of plants good for? 

16. Name five flowers of pleasant odor. 

17. Name five plants of unpleasant odor. 

18. What are fruits for? 

19. How do spring flowers compare with those 
that appear later? 

20. What is a weed? 



CHAPTER IX. 
NUMBEE. 

The ideal arithmetic is not to be expected from 
any book. It is in the mind of the living teacher, 
who has suniied not only books, but children. Diir- 
\u^ the first two years of school life, number is best 
taiiij^ht without the pupil's use of the book — children 
in city schools requirino; more time to do the same 
amount of work, since they do n(>t have the founda- 
tion for number work when the}' enter school, that 
the children in the countrj' have. 

Repetition is so necessary in the first years that 
it is sometimes very diflScult to keep the woi-k from 
becomina; monotonous, hence this article will contain 
many exercises and drills without seeming to cover 
much ground. In the beginning it is to be hof)ed 
that the pupils have not learned to count parrot style 
without knowing what the words one, two, three, 
etc., meant, so that the}' may, at the first of the 
school year, be taught to count objects intellii^ertly. 
Materials for any one lesson should be all alike — any 
difference iji the objects bandied by the children will 
distract the attention from the aim of the lesson. 

In the first year the numbers from I to 10 must 
be learned so as to become known without the slight- 



^o Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

est hesitation. In the place of the sign+ use the 
word and) for the sign — , use Zpss^ for X, use iimes^ or 
still better, thus, 5 twos are 10; and for -^ use meas- 
ured by. The pupil should be taught addition and 
multiplication, then subtraction and division. Begin 
with 1 marble or some real thing. TTse no abstract 
numbers. 

Teach numbers as a whole. If pupil has learned 
6, he has learned the I's, 2's, 3's, etc., he tiods in 6. 

Teach that division is only measuring the equal 
parts. 

Teach that multiplication is only adding the equal 
parts. 

Have the child take objects and tell what he can 
see in them: thus 6 is made of 

fl + l + l + l + l + l 
12+2+2 
6^ 3 + 3 
14+2 
15 + 1 
Have the pupils make problems for himself. 
Teach him to construct tables like the followinir: 



2^1 + 1 



and so on to 10. 





fl + l + l + l 




13+1 


1 + 1+1 


1 1 + 3 


1 + 2 


4^ 2 + 2 

2+1 + 1 


2 + 1 




1 1+2+1 




11+1 + 2 



NUMKER. 71 

Don't be in a hurry to introduce the sign lan- 
guage of arithmetic; not until the close of the first 
twenty weeks of school at any rate; then piesent 
them one at a time. Keview b}' writing them to- 
gether. Let the pupil fully understand the techni- 
cal terms after he has learned what they repi'esent. 

Teach pupils to discover facts in numbers. Tlius, 
in four balls are seen three balls and one ball. One 
ball from four balls leaves three balls. 

Who can find another number in four? 

Two is found this time. Two balls from four 
balls leaves two balls, elc. 

The facts having beeti found, namely, 3+1, 2 — 1, 
2 + 2, 2x2, 4—2, 4^2, 4--1, 4x1, each fact must be 
repeated until it is fixed in the mind. 

In the presentation of an^^ fact, the first questions 
should relate to the objects before the children, af- 
terwards to the objects without representation. 

One fact at a time, and only one. This is the secret 
of success in teaching facts. JVot in the prcfuntntion, 
however clear that may be, but in recalling that fact 
until the memory ean call it up at any time without 
effort. 

Pupils should be drilled in the ready recognition 
of groups of numbers and in making rapid combina- 
tions and separations. 

It is very important to distinguish between facts 
of a number that mvst he recognized instantly, as, 6 + 3, 



72 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

4x2, ^ of 6, etc., and facts that may be found by cal- 
culation, as, 3 + 2-|-2=:7, 9+1—5=5, etc. 

Exercises like the followiui^; ma}' be found useful: 

BAF-LS. 

2 and 2 are 4. 

( ) and 2 are 4. 

4 measured by 2 are 2. 

4 measured b}^ ( ) are 2. 

4 measured bj- ( ) are 4. 
8 and ( ) are 5. 

( ) and 4 are 5. 

5 less ( ) are 3. 

4 less ( ) and ( ) are 6. 

( ) measured by 2 are 8. 
( ) and 3 are 5. 
2 and ( ) are 5. 

5 less ( ) and 3 are 6. 

6 measured by 3 are 2. 

2 is one-half of what number? 

Have pupiis copy, substituting signs for words. 
Train pupils to make neat figures. Aim to secure 
neatness and accuracy' first, rapidity afterwards. Ac- 
cept nothing but the best elforts of your pupils. 

As the work goes on call attention to the i-elative 
size of units. Thug: 

I ^ I ^ I I 

Place 6 blocks 

CD ^u {m 



Number. 



73 



and he will, without being told, recognize 6 by its 
peculiarity of two threes and three twos. 

\zz\ rD \Z3 nn 

Arrange them thus: 



CZl 



] C^ EZ] 



and he will recognize that 8 has 4 twos and 2 fours. 
Teach him that one-fourth of 8 is 2 and one-half 



of 8 is 4, etc. 



EXERCISE FOR REVIEW. 

Name the number of dots as I point. 



••••• 

• • •• V •/ i: : ••• 



;> 


• ••• 

• 


■■.:■:■■■: 


• • 
• 

• 

• • 



• •••!• •• ••!• • 

• •• ••• 

• •••I • • • • • • 



Brown paper charts with groups of colored trian- 
gles, squares or rings pasted on them, can be used 
with great advantage for drill in quick recognition 
of groups of numbers, and for drill in making rapid 
combinations and separations. Thus, the teacher 
points to any group and requires instant recognition 
of the number. To allow hesitation or counting by 
ones is to defeat the object of the recitation. 



74 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Suggestions for the use of "grouping charts: 



• • • • 

• • • • 



How many dots do you see in the lower half? 

How many in the upper half? 

How many in all? 

Ten and one are how many? 

What must you take from eleven to leave ten? 

How many 5's make ten? 

Two 6's and how many make eleven? 

By covering part of the dots the exercise can be 
continued and a number of facts secured. 

As a preparation for book study and also as a 
means of training the child in the comprehension of 
written or printed language, introduce exercises like 
the following, writing questions on board and have 
pupils write answers on blank blocks: 

5 apples are 2 more than what number? 
3 apples are 3 less than what number? 

3 feet and 2 feet are how many feet? 

4 days and 2 days are how many days? 
2 times 2 balls are? 

4 feet measured by 4 feet are? 
4 feet measured by 2 feet are? 
4 feet measured bv 1 foot are? etc. 



Number. 75 

JFow many I's in 3? 

How ?iiany 2's in 4? 

How many 2's in 6? 

How many halves in 1? 

How many halves in 2? 

How manj^ halves in 3? 

How many thirds in Ir* 

Says Col. Parker: "There are teachers who ar- 
gue, that an attempt to teach the four operations at 
the same time, confuses the child. It would, no 
doubt, if the language alone were learned, without 
regard to the thought which that language ex- 
presses." 

"Ideas before words" is a truism which applies 
more closely to the leaching of numbers than any 
other subject taught in onr schools. I quote again 
from the same author: "We see the whole before the 
])art. It is the old question of trying to separate 
synthesis from analysis. I am inclined to believe 
that it is impossible for us to synthesize wnthout 
analyzing or vice versa. But I think the proof is pos- 
itive, that if we see two twos in four, we also see (at 
the same time) that two twos are four. That three 
and two are five, we see at the same time that we do, 
that five less two is three, and tive less three is two. 
Now, instead of confusing the mind, correlative rela- 
tions mutually assist each other in comprehending 
each relation. To spend a long time in adding num- 
bers, without noticing consciously the separations; to 



76 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

follow that by a long term of subtractiog; after which, 
to teach multiplying and dividing, produces, I think, 
the inextricable confusion regarding number, that I 
have never failed to find in grammar grades. The 
same theory carried out in botany, would take one 
part of the plant — the leaves for instance — and teach 
that without regard to the whole plant; and then re- 
turning, teach the bark, and then the stem, and so 
on." 

A lesson in number means a lesson in language at 
the same time. However, the careful teacher makes 
a sharp distinction between learning number and 
learning the language of number. If the latter is de- 
fective, the idea of the former is also imperfect. 

For drill exercises, tables like the following are 
helpful: 



8h-2= 


8^( )=4 


4 2's= 


4 ( 's)=8 


5+4= 


5+( )=9 


8—5= 


8_( )=3 


4+2= 


4+( )=12 


( )-2= 


3X( )=12 


( )2's=8 


9~( )=3 


( )+4=9 


i of ( )=3 


( )-5=2 


iof( )=4 


( )X2=6 


iof( )=4 



Take time and give the subject thorough work 
and years of confusion will be avoided. Teach num- 
ber as 5, 10, etc., as a upit. Teach the pupil to com- 



Number. 



11 



pare these units with othei- units. Thus, 10 is 5 
times 2. This Ciin be readily taught by grouping 
them objectivel}^ thus: 




As soon as pupils have correct concepts fixed in 
the mind, discontinue the use of objects and drill, 
drill, drill. 

Lead pupils (1) to perceive, (2) to express orally, 
(3) to memorize, the facts. Perception, expression, 
memory — all equally important. In primary grades 
— indeed, in all grades — teachers talk too much. To 
help out and give variety, to say nothing of saving 
the teacher's throat and sparing the children's ears, 
devices like the following may be used with good 
effect: 





Teacher, pointer in hand, steps to the board, 
points to the figures on the circumference, children 
having previously noted central figure and its ac- 



78 



Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 



cornpanying sign, announce results. In the same 
way the signs, — , X, and ^-, may be used: 
The following is good for a wake-up drill: 



3 


2 


2~^ 




8 
2 


8 
4 


6 
9 


-f2 


6 





2 


-2 





9 


5 


3 

7 


3 
9 


8 
1 


1 


5 


4 


- 


5 


1 


7 


5 


8 








See that the pupil names the result as rapidlj- as 
you can point to the figures and see that you move 
the pointer rapidly and with a purpose. Allow no 
time for counting. Skip about in pointing--compel 
ready and correct results — never do anything by 
rote, or mechanically, that you can do otherwise. Do 
not allow pupils to name digits — only the results. 

For drill in fractions: 
Unite the following parts: 



apples 

are how many? 

are bow many? 

part of an apple? 

part of an apple? 

are how many apples? 

is what part? 

is what part? 

is what part? 



pples a 


i 


i 






b 


i 


i 


1 




c 


i 


^ 


^ 


} 


d 


i 


i 






e 


i 


i 


i 




f 


i 


i 


i 


i 


g 


i 


i 






h 


1 


i 


i 




i 


i 


i 


i 


i 



Number. 79 

Pupils should bo taught to do more with the mind 
than with the pencil. A class should be taught to 
reduce all ordinary fractions to higher or lower 
terms without the use of the pencil. If he is to add 
J and i, have him say: '4 equals ^ and | equals ^j 
three-sixths and two-sixths are five-sixths." 

Place tables of fractions upon the board in groups 
of twos, thus: 

i f 

i i 

I i 

i * 

Add each group of twos. 

Find the difference. 

Multiply each fraction by 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. 

Multiply the fractions together, etc. 

Do not allow pupils to use pencils except to write 
down results. 

Concrete work in fractions. 

If one marble cost h a cent, what will five marbles 
cost? 3 marbles? 7 marbles? 10 marbles? 

If i pound of butter costs SI, what will one pound 
cost? 

How many fourths make ^? How many fourths 
make ^ ? 

Find the cost of 5 oranges at 2 cents each. 
Find the cost of ^ of 1 orange worth 10 cents. 
Find the cost of ^ of 1 orange worth 6 cents. 



8o Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Find the cost of i of 1 orange worth 6 cents. 
Find the cost of i of 1 orange worth 8 cents: 
Find the cost of I2 oranges worth 6 cents each. 
Find the cost of H oranges worth 6 cents each. 
Find the cost of H oranges worth 8 cents each. 
F'ind the cost of ]]- oranges worth 8 cents each. 
Find the cost of H oranges worth 2 cents each. 

apples. 

i of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14=what? 

i of 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15=what? 

i of 1, 4, 8, 12=what? 

f of 1, 3, 6,9, 12, 15==what? 

2 of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14=what? 

See that there is no calculating amounts on fin- 
gers. Knowledge ihns gained is ordinal and pre- 
vents free action of the mind. Eeview dail3^ Judge 
of your progress by the increasing power of your 
pupils. Drill on work of previous grades. 

Have individual work. Do not trust excellence 
of sight work as any criterion of progress. 



CHAPTER X. 
NUMBER, CONTINUED. 

General work from 1 to 20 inclusive. 

Fractions must be included in these lessons. The 
pupil should acquire perfect control of the simple 
combination of fractions to eights, such as plain ad- 
ditions, subtractions, etc. In every case treat each 
quantity as 6, 8, or 18 as a unit; each ^ f, h, etc, as a 
unit, but DOt apart of a unit. The pupil needs the 
knowledge that 6 is a quantity 6 times as great as 1, 
3 times as great as 2, 2 times as great as 3, 12 times 
as great as 2, etc., before he can appreciate aiithmet- 
ical quantities or comparison. Let oral and written 
work go together, and by all means, teach the pu])ils 
habits of independent thought. 

Teach to count by 3's, 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's, and 8's, 
starting from any unit as 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. 

From these and preceding lessons deduce a knowl- 
edge of factors of all units where the results way be 
entire. 

Measures of capacity might be here introduced 
and by actually handling them pupils can mnke the 
tables for Dry and Liquid measures. Teach time by 
the clock, days, weeks, months. Apply in practical 



82 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

work. Use a]) means of illustration used in the fore- 
going part of tlie book. Review often. 

In the effort to secure prompt w^ork, don't forget 
to see that the pupil knows what he learns. While we 
use the written and oral work, make sure that the 
tnentdl faculties are trained to quick and ready ac- 
tivity. 

So many teachers complain of lack of time. Ean- 
dom work always fails from lack of time. (1) Know 
what you are to do. (2) How you are to do it. (8) 
What particular part you are to do to-day. (4) Be- 
lieve that you can do it. 

It is often necessary to change methods in the 
lower grades to keep up interest. It is claimed that 
nine-tenths of the mistakes in business calculation 
occur in adding and subtracting numbers. 

Children should be taught to name the sum of two 
numbers with the same ease and readiness that they 
call a word without naming its letters. Thus in 13 
he must see six over seven (£^) as easilj^ as ax in the 
combination of a and x. 

Since only forty-five combinations of two figures 
each can be formed with the nine significant digits, 
and only seventeen different words are required to 
name results, it can not be a difficult task to learn 
them. 

Below are given the forty-five combinations. 
Each gi'oup contains all the combinations that make 
a given number: 



Number. 83 

1 1 12 12 12 3 132 1324 
1; 2- 3 2; 4 3; 5 4 3; 6 4 5; 7 5 6 4; 



1234 12 34 5 2345 3 456 

8 7 6 5; 98765; 9876; 9876; 



456 567 67 78 8 

9 8 7; 9 8 7; 9 8; 9 8; 9; 



If board room can be spared, place them where 
ihey can remain and devote a few sharp, active mo- 
ments to them ever}" day until the action of the mind 
is absolutely automatic. The high pei'ccntage of in- 
accuracy is due to the fact that pupils do not know 
the combinations. They fail to recognize sums, pro- 
ducts, etc., on sight and are not sure of results. 
Practice on columns (not too long) until the habit of 
reading numbers together is acquired: thus in ad- 
ding, do not say "7 and 5 make 12, and 3 make 15;" 
say "7, 12, 15." In these exercises, there should be 
much alertness, brightness and encouragement. Long 
drills tire. It is method, energy and persistence 
that tell. 

Not less valuable are the forty-five combinations 
of the multiplication table: 

1 1 1 24 5 63 7 84 
1; 2; 3; 2 1; 1; 1 2; i; 1 2; 



Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 





9 


3 


2 




3 


6 


7 


5 


4 8 


2 3 




1 


3; 


5; 

8 


6 


4 


2- 


2; 

9 


3; 

7 


4 2, 


9 6; 


4 




7 




5 


5 


4 7 


5, 




3; 


3 


4; 




5; 


3; 


4; 


6; 


8; 5; 


6 9 




5 


6 


9 




8 


7 


6 8 


8 


7 8 9 


6 4; 




8; 


7; 


5; 




6; 


7; 


9; 1- 


«■; 


9; 9; 9; 



Write on the board. Teacher points to combina- 
tion and pupils give product at the same time. Be- 
ginning write the first, test each pupil to learn how 
man}^ of the eombir)ations each one knows. Give 
two or three combinations for each lesson in advance, 
and review all learned before. Give frequent drill, 
having pupils point to combination and name pro- 
duct, continue the drill until each pupil can readily 
give the product of each combination. 

Arithmetic is an exact science. Too much care 
can not be taken to have children form the habit of 
accuracy in their own work. To be exactly right is 
not attainable at all times in any other study. Make 
the pupil feel then, that if his work is not correct in 
every particular, it is a virtual failure. 



Number, Continued. 

YANKEE MULTIPLICATION TABLE. 



85 





I'S 


2's 


3's 


4's 


5's 


6's 


1 


1 


2 


3 


4 


5 


6 


2 


2 


4 


6 


8 


10 


12 


3 


3 


6 


9 


12 


15 


18 


4 


4 


8 


12 


16 


20 


24 


5 


5 


10 


15 


20 


25 


30 


6 


6 


12 


18 


24 


30 


36 


7 


7 


14 


21 


28 


35 


42 


8 


8 


16 


24 


32 


40 


48 


9 


9 


18 


27 


36 


45 


54 





10 


20 


30 


40 


50 


60 



7's 

7 
14 
21 
28 
35 
42 
49 
56 
63 
70 



8's 


9's 


8 


1 
9 


16 


18 


24 


27 


32 


36 


40 


45 


48 


54 


56 


63 


64 


72 


72 


81 


80 


90 



10 
20 
30 
40 
50 
60 
70 
80 
90 
100 



This table, as well as the one following, presup- 
poses the development work by means of objects; al- 
so that the pupil has made the tables for himself. 

9 



Thus: 



etc. 



2 4 6 8 



86 . 



Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 



THE TEN facts. 





+ 2 
2 


X2 
^2 


+ 3 
—3 


X3 
^3 


4 


S 


5 


S 


6 


S 


7 


S 


8 


's 


9 


'S 


3 


5 


6 


6 


9 


7 


12 


8 


15 


918 


10 


21 


11 


24 


12 


27 


9 


11 


18 


12 


27 


13 


36 


14 


45 


15 


54 


16 


63 


17 


72 


18 


81 


5 


7 


10 


8 


15 


9 


20 


10 


25 


11 


30 


12 


1 

35 

1 


13 


40 


14 


45 


1 


3 


2 


4 


3 


5 4 


6 


5 


7 


6 


8 


7 


9 


8 


10 


9 


7 


9 


14 


10 


21 


11 


28 


12 


35 


13 


42 


14 


49 


15 


56 


16 


63 


2 


4 


4 


5 


6 


6 


8 


7 


10 


8 


12 


9 


14 


10 


16 


11 


18 


8 


10 


16 


11 


24 


12 


32 


13 


40 


14 


48 


15 


56 


16 


64 


17 


72 


4 


6 


8 


7 


12 


8 


16 


9 


20 


10 


24 


11 


28 


Vz 


32 


13 


36 





2 





3 





4 





5 





6 





7 





8 





9 





6 


8 


12 


9 


18 


10 


24 


11 


30 


12 


3G 


13 


42 


14 


48 


15 


54 



In teaching the four fundamental operations, the 
pupil should be led to understand clearly their rela- 
tions to one another. It is an excellent plan to re- 
quire the class to solve problems given under the 
subject of multiplication, by addition, and those giv- 
en as problems in division, by subtraction. 

In the assignment of concrete problems for ex- 
planation in the class, take care that there be great 
variety in the phraseology of the problems that in- 
volve the same operation, so that one stereotyped 



Number, Continued. 87 

formula may not serve for the explanation of all of 
them. 

It is often profitable to require a class to bring in 
original problems and the solutions to them as some- 
what of a test of the grasp of the work taught. 

If pupils are thoroughly grounded in primary ar- 
ithmetic, little need be said about written arithmetic. 
The trouble that does arise comes from a superficial 
understanding of the thing. Every subject, whether 
it be percentage, interest or cube root, is only a con- 
tinuation of what the child has already learned. The 
instruction in the completing course differs from the 
elementary in that more attention should be given 
to abbreviated processes of practical value, applica- 
tions to business life and greater freedom than is al- 
lowed pupils inthe mechanical forms of written work 
and original solutions. 



CHAPTER XI. 
ARITHMETIC. 

Division is usually a diflScult operation to teach 
pupils. Not so much because it is in itself more 
troublesome than the other fundamental operations, 
but rather from the lack of a proper and systematic 
method of teaching it. Ability to divide depends 
upon the power to determine how many times one or 
more orders of the divisor are contained in a corres- 
ponding order of the dividend. See to it that this 
does not become a matter of guess work- the guess 
and try habit is an execrable practice and one for 
which there is no excuse except that of poor teach- 
ing. Long division should be taught before short 
division. At first, let the divisor be of but one or- 
der, children writing out the work. Again, care 
must be taken that the divisor is always contained in 
the partial dividend, so that do cipher need be placed 
in the quotient. Make haste slowly. Wait until pu- 
pils are thoroughly grounded in work of this kind 
before you give problems requiring a cipher in the 
quotient. 

Then take for divisors such numbers as 20, 30, 40, 
etc., follow these with such divisiors as 21, 31, 41, 



Arithmetic. 89 

etc. Here no carrying is required, but the added 
figure will sometimes affect the quotient figure as 
formed by dividing the first figure of the partial div- 
idend by the highest order of the divisor. Next use 
as divisors the decades eriding with 2. Drill until 
the pupil can do the work with ease. In a similar 
way, use the decades ending in 3, 4, 5, etc. After 
these divisors of one and two figures, take up first the 
even hundred, then the hundred and tens in the same 
order as the tens and units were taken up. 

Teach the children how to determine the quotient 
figure by comparing the highest orders of the divis- 
or with those of each partial dividend. To prevent 
the formation of the guessing habit, it is better, for 
the first lessons, to have all the work done in the 
class under the immediate supervision of the teacher, 
no work in division being assigned for the pupil to 
do alone. 

It will be helpful to the pupil to have the order 
of work indicated on the black board, thus: 

1. Find the quotient figure. 

2. Multiply and write product under dividend 
used. 

3. Subtract. 

4. Compare remainder with next divisor. 

5. Bring down next figure. 

6. Repeat these five steps. 



90 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

COMMON FRACTIONS. 

Many teachers complain that they have great dif- 
ficulty in getting their pupils to understand common 
fractions, and that though the processes! seem to be 
understood at the time the lesson is recited, written 
reviews prove discouraging failures. The responsi- 
bility here might be profitably apportioned among 
the parents, the teacher and the text book. Most 
parents are highlj^ pleased for their children to go 
rapidly through the arithmetic, and estimate the 
ability of the teacher by the number of pages passed 
over, and not by the amount of information actually 
obtained. Teachers, as well as superintendents and 
principals, realizing this, are usually too ambitious 
to rapidly advance their pupils. Classes are hurried 
along without a proper understanding of any subject 
before a new one is taken up. No time is given for 
the new knovvledge to be assimilated, or for skill in 
its application before the next topic is begun. Oth- 
er teachers give drill enough but in an aimless and 
desultory way that is barren of results. 

Division of Fractions. 

In a certain arithmetic the author says, "To mul- 
tiply by the reciprocal of a number is the same as to. 
divide by the number." Thus to multiply by i 
means to separate the multiplicand into four equal 
parts, and to take one of the parts for the required 
product; and to divide by 4 means to separate the 



Arithmetic. 91 

divideinl into four equal jjarls, and to take one of the 
parts for the required quotient. 

This is untrue sinne "to (iivide b}^ 4" does not 
mean to separate the dividend into four equal parts, 
but to separate the dividend into fours, or to measure 
the dividend by four. 

If the child has been properly taught up to the 
time of the introduction of division of fractions, he 
will understand the relation that each fraction holds 
to the unit from which it was derived. If be does 
not understand this you will teach it to him in the 
following or in some better way. 

Diaw a line upon the hoard that is nine inches 
long; let them think of this line as a unit or 1. Use 
1, 2, 3, 4, etc., as divisors and secure the quotients 1, 
^, ^, i, etc. These quotients are readily perceived 
by the pupils. Use f as a divisor. 

Show that I is contained in the unit one time and 
one-half of another time or i] times. Use | as a di- 
visor and show by use of line or other means that it 
is contained in 1, 1 and J or j times. Use other frac- 
tional divisors and generalize as follows: A fraction 
is contained in the unit from which it is derived as 
is indicated by the fraction inverted. P'oilow this 
conclusion with many questions similar to the fol- 
lowing: 

How many times is ,\ contained in one? 

i represents the division of 1 by what? 

What fraction is contained in 1, ^ times? 



92 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

A man divides an acre of land into plots of 2 of 
an acre each; how many such plots can he secure? 

You say that I is contained in one . how many 
times? 

Pupil — I is contained in one ^ times. 

Then how many times will it be contained in ^ 
of one? 

Pvpil — h of 3 times. 

And how many times in | of one? 

Pupil — I of I times. 

What does an inverted fraction show? 

Pupil — The number of times that the fraction is 
contained in one. 

Analyze the following: Divide ^ by |. 

Analysis: f is contained in one ^ times, and it 
will be contained in ^ of one ^ of ^ times, ot 20 times, 
or igO times. 

While there are three cases in division of frac- 
tions, teach but one way of solving all the problems. 
Reduce integers and mixed numbers to improper 
fractions; invert the divisor and proceed as in multi- 
plication of fractions. 

Given a Fractional Part of a .Number to Find the Whole. 

24 is I of what number? 

The following is a common form of analysis, 
though obviously incorrect: 

"If ;^ of a number is 24, 1 of the number is 1 of 24 
etc.'' Change the denominator fifths to the word 



Arithmetic. 93 

parts and read, "If 3 parts of some number is 24, 
what, is one part of it'/ Or this — if § of some number 
is 24, what is the whole number or •? of it? 

Teach pupils to study the phraseology of prob- 
lems and to master the thought before attempting to 
give it expression in written form. The form should 
also be truthful. To illustrate: 

If 4 of a number is 15, what is the number? 

Incorrect, but common solution: 

f=15 

i=^ of 15; or 5 

4^4x5, or 20. Ans. 

The above solution is untrue because | does not 
equal 15. | equals f and not anything else. 

Correct solution: 

f of some number=15 

i of that number:=i of 15, or 5 

^, or the whole number=4x 5, or 20. 

PRACTICAL MEASUREMENTS. 

Aim to give, so far as possible, a practical turn to 
every exercise. Suppose you ask a pupil how he 
will obtain the superficial feet in the school room, or 
of the model room before the class. His answer will 
simply be, "multiply the length by the breadth," and 
he may give these words without being able to per- 
form the operation. That you may know whether 
he comprehends the definition, or not, give him a 
rule or measuring tape, and ask him to give the con- 



94 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

tents of the model room (46x20 inelies) or the super- 
ficial area of either side, or of all sides, or hv actual 
measurement the amount of car[)et that it will take 
to cover the floor of the model i-oom, if the carpet is 
f of an inch wide. 

Ask the pupils to measure the parlor at home and 
find out how many yards of cavpet would be required 
if the carpet is laid lengthwise of the room. Many 
ofthe arithmetics are misleading in directing how to 
estimate the cost of carpeting a room correctly. 
Practically, square measure is not used in putting 
down carpets, but linear measure. Teach the chil- 
dren that in determining how many yards of carpet 
are needed for a room, first find how many strips or 
breadths .^re required, then determine the length of 
each strip. They are also to remember that a frac- 
tion of a strip is to be considered a whole strip for 
carpet dealers do not sell pieces of strips if they do 
sell parts of yards. 

Pupils must be taught to consider waste in match- 
ing carpet; a figured carj^et has to be cut in multi- 
ples ofthe distance between the figures. If the fig- 
ures are two feet apart, the carpet mu!»t be cut in 
multiples of two in order that it may match, hence a 
room is 15 feet long, the carpet will have to be cut 
ID lengths of 16 feet. 

A boy may be able to give the rule for ascertain- 
ing the contents of a load or pile of wood, and not be 
able, bj^ actual measurement and figures, to carry 



Arithmetic. 95 

the rule irito practice. In all teacbiog, combine the- 
ory and practice. In this way you can prepare your 
])upils to solve such problems as the farmer, the mer- 
chant, the mechanic, etc., will have to meet; nor will 
they be alaimed or confused when asked by their 
parents to perform some simple business computa- 
tion "without the book." 

PERCENTAGE. 

In teaching Percentage and its applications, the 
teacher should keep coristantly before the pupil the 
various formulas as presented in percentage. A 
thorough drill should be given the pupils in getting 
hundredths of numbers. Give the term per cent, and 
hundredths interchangeably. Show the relation of 
50 per cent to one-half of a number; 25 per cent to 
one-fourth of a number; 100 per cent to the whole; 75 
per cent to three-fourths. 

Show difference between one-half per cent and 
one-half of a number; one-eighth per cent and one- 
eighth of a number. Drill in finding one-half per 
cent, fifty per cent and one-half of numbers; one- 
eighth per cent, thirty-three and one-third per cent 
and one-third of numbers, using fractions and per 
cent interchangeably. 

Show the relation of 200 per ,ccnt to two times a 
number; 300 per cent to three times a number. 

Teach pupils self reliance in mathematical work 



96 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

by requiring the problems to be performed mentally 
as far as possible. 

general observations. 

The special purpose of arithmetic as a school 
study is: 

(1) To teach those relations of numbers that are 
applicable to the business affairs of life. 

(2) To cultivate the power to think abstractly. 

(3) To train the pupil to be accurate. 

(4) To discipline the reasoning faculty. 

Whether the science is studied for mental disci- 
pline or for practical mastery over every day prob- 
lems of business life, mechanical processes and rou- 
tine methods are of no value. In all the written 
problems assigned for a lesson, the solutions should 
be in approved form, though uniformity is not nec- 
essary. 

The same maybe said of "analysis." The vicious 
system of pattern learning, beginning with "If" and 
rounding up with a triumphant "Therefore," effect- 
ually prevents the growing of any original or crea- 
tive power and is a serious hindrance to the mastery 
of the processes and principles of arithmetic. Pupils 
become practical arithmeticians, not by learning spec- 
ial business forms, or by the repetition of logical 
verbiage, but by founding their knowledge on reas- 
oning which they fully comprehend, and by being so 



Arithmetic. 97 

thoroughlj^ exercised in its simple expression that 
they are independent of arbitrary rules. 

The prescribed formulas should often be laid 
aside, and the pupils allowed to present their own 
methods of solution. Upon pupils' completion of 
any one subject such as Fractions, Interest, Percent- 
age, etc., regular reviews should follow, in which 
less attention may be given to the problems, and 
more to definitions and principles. This will be 
beneficial in that it furnishes means of testing pupils' 
power to write analytical outlines of the work, gives 
a comprehensive idea of the subject as a whole, and 
exhibits the logical relation of the parts to each 
other. 



CHAPTER X;L 
GEOGRAPHY. 

"Teaching, both in matter and method, must be 
adapted to the capability of the taught." — White's 
Pedagogy. 

For this reason, this course in geography is di- 
vided into two — an Elementary Course, suitable for 
intermediate grades, and a Scientific Course, suitable 
for grammar school gi-ades. Geography being a 
treatise of the earth, ibe fii'st lessons may ijiclude all 
things of interest in nature — initial lessons in botany, 
zoology, or geology, and all instruction that will 
help to picture to pupil's mind the earth as a living 
place for man. 

It is accepted in the beginning that many teach- 
ers will say they have no time for oral work in 
geography; these same teachers not infrequently be- 
gin the first lesson by having their pupils memorize 
the definition of geography, define various imaginary 
lines supposed to be drawn around the earth, and 
give the number of imaginary miles in the same. 
Pray, let there be no misunderstanding here. Sys- 
tematic knowledge implies definitions, but the defi- 
nition should come after there has been sufficient 
observation and reflection by the pupil to enable him 



Geography. 99 

to talk nbout the object intelligently and to make 
his description suggest the definition. 

That geography has not been snccessiully taught 
has been chiefly because in a narrow adherence to 
the text book, names of countries, cities, rivers, 
mountains, gulfs, islands, elc, willi the direction in 
which they lie from each other, have been forced 
into the pu[)ils' minds without any of that informa- 
tion, and those illustrations, which will render such 
facts intelligent and interesting. Don't make so 
much of your text book when teaching geography. 
It is a wise teacher who can make a judici«uis selec- 
tion of facts worth teaching to his pupils. 

METHODS. 

The two distinctive methods of teaching geog- 
raphy are the Analytic and Synthetic methods. The 
former has to do with the earth as a whole and by 
successive divisions passes to the various parts of 
which it is composed. By that method we are taught 
that the earth is composed of one-fourth land and 
three-fourths water, that from continents we come 
down to countries, states, counties, and townships, 
and from the sea, the largest body of water, to the 
smaller ones. This method is unsuited to the begin- 
ner since it inverts the law of mental development, 
from the particular to the general and from the 
known to the related unknown. 

The Synthetic method begins with the play- 



100 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

ground and passes by successive additions over the 
whole globe. It commends itself to the primary 
teacher as it presents single facts before giving their 
classification and causes. 

oral geography. 

Oral geography may begin at any time after the 
child enters school; and should begin as early as the 
middle of the second year. Its aim is simply to pre- 
pare pupils for the studj' of geography from the 
text book. 

Before entering school, children who have been 
favorably situated, are already in possession of the 
primary concepts and facts of geography; but this 
knowledge must be supplemented by more accurate 
observation than is generally given to such com- 
mon facts as we desire to use in these first lessons. 

Most pupils know what is meant by front, back, 
right, left — also the relative positions expressed in 
above, below, over, under, etc., and are ready to begin 
with 

Direction. Noon is a good time to begin this sub- 
ject. If at this time, the pupils stand with their 
backs to the sun, their shadows will fall to the north. 
The point opposite the north is south. On their 
right is east, and on their left, west. Then test their 
knowledge by asking pupils to face the east, west, 
south. Thus: 

Lucy, stand at the north side of the room. 



Geography. ioi 

James, ^o to the southern part of the room. 

James, walk toward Liic)'. 

Class, in what direction is James walking? 

In what direction is Lucj walking? 

When facing the east, what direction is on their 
right? 

What on their left? 

In what diiection will their shadows fall at sun- 
set? At sun rise? 

Get the children to name ohjects in the school 
room which are north of them, south, east, west. 
When the four points are fixed, northeast, noi'thwest, 
etc., may be introduced. Having learned the eight 
points, the children should he asked to name ohjects 
in the direction of each, beginning with those in the 
school room, and passing to the things in the school 
3'ard; to name the directions in which they travel 
from their homes to school and in going from the 
school building to the post-office and other promi- 
nent places. 

What is taught, let it be well taught b}' frequent 
reviews Pupils tell in what part of the room the 
front door is; the stove, the teacher's desk, etc. 
Give the direction of the joints in the floor, the back 
of the seats, sides and ends of the room. Transfer 
direction from the floor to the north board if there 
is one. Draw vertical line and horizontal, intersect- 
ing each other. Put north at the top of the vertical 
line, south at the bottom, east at the right end of the 



I02 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

horizontal line, west at the left end of the same line. 



1. cardinal pts. 



.- absolute^ 

o 1 



2. semi-cardinal pts. 



f north 

J south 

j east 

[west 
northeast 
northwest 
southeast 
southwest 



, ^. (1. thiniJ^s near 

relative ^ « .i • ' 
[^ ( Z. tilings remo 



te 



Questions on Lesson. 

1. In which wall is the front door? 

2. In which direction would 3'ou walk in 



pass- 
Which way do you walk as you enter your 



ing out of the front door? 

3. 
home? 

4. 

5: 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 



As you leave your home? 
Point toward your home. 
Which way are you pointing? 
Think of your mother pointing this way. 
Which way is she pointing? 
W^hich way is the clock from the door? 
Which way am I looking? 



Out of Door Work. 

Take the children out of doors and let them study 
the country. 

1. Take them to a creek or branch and to a place 



Geography. 103 

where another creek flows into it. Here is month and 
tributary. If possible, take them to where a stream 
rises. This is source. Tell them streams always flow 
from source to mouth. 

['source. 

I he'i. 

j hi'anches, 

p. ^ J riirltt and left banks. 

'^ j stones and other materials carried by rivers. 

[ effect upon the surface. 

( navigation — boats, 
u s e s -s 
1^ " ^ ( water power — mills. 

2. Take them to a pond. If another stream close 
by connected by a narrow strip of water — this is a 
strait. Indentures in bank of pond are called gulfs or 
bays. They will probably notice an island in the 

pond, etc perhaps also notice a peninsula. If there 

are no lakes or ponds in the immediate vicinity, 
utilize the first rainy day, or easier yet if you do not 
find it convenient to leave the school room, see what 
you can do with a cup of water and a dr}- board, b}' 
way of illustration. 

3. A lake is larger than a pond; sea is larger 
than a lake; ocean is largest of all. 

4. Land around lake is low and level. Called 
plain. Oniy^ difference between it and other plains 
is in size. 

5. Pupils, looking farther off, see hills. Be- 
tween hills are low places, called valleys. Farther 
back still larger hills — mountains. 



[04 



Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 



Long line of mounlains, called chain; cluster of 
mountains — a group. 

Highest part of mountains are peaks. Some peaks 
are so high that they are always covered with snow. 

C base. 
Mountains •< slopes. 
( summit. 

Develop the idea of vertical zones, by short con- 
versations about the decrease of vegetation as we as- 
cend a mountain. This will suggest 



Object Lesson on (Hi mate. 



Climate - 



r fi- 

I Cold day leads | 2. 
I to talk "on cold ^ 3. 
I countries. | 4. 

15. 

fl- 
Warm day leads | 2. 

to talk on warm -j 3. 

countries. | 4. 

[5. 



Houses. 

Food. 

Dress. 

Customs. 

Manner of travel. 

Houses. 

Food. 

Dress. 

Customs. 

Manner of travel. 



Illustrate unknown facts by comparison with 
those which are known, e. g., habits of peoples of 
distant countries with those of the neighborhood. 

Use of Pictures. 

In accordance with the fundamental principle 
that the course of instruction in oral geography 
should be given in the concrete, the primary con- 



Geography. 105 

cepts and facts of geography should be presented to 
the mind of the learner by illustration, rather than 
by description. As it is not always convenient or 
desirable to show the objects themselves, a collec- 
tion of pictures systematically arranged, will answer 
the purpose. Only an honest trial is required to 
demonstrate the value of the information received, or 
the superiority of this method over that of merely 
reciting the words of the text-book. The plants and 
animals of the various zones are made living reali- 
ties and are given a local habitation. 

Globe Lessons. 

Teach with the aid of a globe and other objects 
what the form of the earth isj how much is land, how 
much is water, and the position, relative sizes and 
names of the continents, oceans, etc. 

Place the globe on the teacher's table and require 
your pupils, one by one, to go to the globe aud an- 
swer one of the following questions: 

1. What is the shape of the school globe? 

2. Point out with your finger, the pans that 
represent land. 

3. Point out the parts that represent water. 

4. Which is the larger, the land surface or the 
water surface? 

5. Turn the globe around once; on what does it 
turn? 

8 



io6 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

6. In what time does the real earth turn around, 
or rotate once? 

7. How ofcen does the sun rise and set? 

8. Place your finger on the top or most norther- 
ly point on the globe; what is that part called? 

9. Place your finger on the most southerly part 
of the globe; what is that point called? 

10. Put your finger on the black line half way 
between the two poles and follow it around the 
globe; what is it called? 

11. Find the Pacific Ocean and turn the globe so 
that the class can see it. 

12. Point oat the Atlantic Ocean. 

13. Find the Indian Ocean. 

14. Point out North America. 

15. Who can point out the land on which we 
live? 

16. In what direction is North America from 
South America? 

17. Which is the larger? 

18. Which is the largest ocean? 

19. Which is the longest and narrowest? 

20. Find and name a sea between North and 
8outh America. 

Further lessons upon the globe may include 
zones, climate, relation, position, and size of conti- 
nents and oceans. 



Geography. 



107 



1. 
Zones. 4 2. 



■I 



Torrid. 

Temperate. 

Frigid. 



f Define. 
j Boundaries. 
J Climate. 
j Vegetation. 

Animals. 
I Inhabitants. 



Trees. 



Vegetation and Animals of Torrid Zone. 

fThe Palm. 
J The Mahogany. 
1 The India-rubber 
[The Banyan, etc. 



f Dates. 

j Rice. 

I Sugar-cane. 

Cocoanuts. 

Bananas. 
I Oranges. 

I Figs. 
I^Pine-apples. 



Food Plants. 



TNutmeg. 

c . Cinnamon, 

opices. < ^, 
^ I Cloves. 

1^ Pepper, etc. 



Large Animals. 



Beasts of Prey. 



'Elephant. 
Rhinoceros. 
Giraffe. 
Hippopotamus, etc. 

fLion. 
J Leopard. 
1 Tiger. 
[Hyena. 



io8 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Ye get at Ion and Animals of Temperate Zone. 





fCorn. 




i Wheat. 


Food Plants. 


J Oats. 




1 Potatoes. 




1 Vegetables. 




f Apples. 




1 Peaches. 


Fruits. 


^ Pears. 




1 Plums. 




1^ Grapes. 




(Cotton. 


Clothing Makinfij Plants. 


] Flax. 




(^ Hemp. 




f Horse. 




1 I>og- 


Dotnestic Animals. 


J Ox^ 
j Sheep. 




|Hog. 




LCat, etc. 



Vegetation and Animals of Frigid Zone. 

C Mosses. 
Vegetation. } Dwarfed Willows. 
(Birches. 

r Whale. 
Sea Animals. < Seal. 

(Walrus. 



Fur-bearing Animals. 



f White Bear. 
■] Sable. 
(Ermine. 



Geographv. 109 

Make colored diagrams of the zones to represent 
the nature ot the climate — white within polar cir- 
cles; green for temperate zones; brown or red for 
torrid zones. To impress the thought of relation of 
climate to food and clothing, ask the children to 
bring tbe diflferent productions, vegetable, mineral, 
and animal, of the different zones, the teacher fas- 
tening them on the proper place. When the pupils 
can not find the production, substitute a small pic- 
ture. Of course vegetables and animals can not be 
fastened upon the map, but pictures can be readily 
procured, and even the dullest boy will enjoy the 
"animal part" of the chart. 

It has not been the aim of this short chapter to 
give a comprehensive plan of ])rimaT3' work, since 
the class of teachers whom I hope to reach, are en- 
gaged in intermediate or advanced work — that is to 
say — their pupils use text books. "Culture is one of 
tbe things which, if we drive at in dead earnest, we 
often win." Geography is pre-eminently a culture 
study; therefore, whether we teach or fail to teach 
all the facts primary pupils need to know as a pre- 
parative for book stud}^ we should certainly try to 
cultivate the geographical faculty by providing 
proper nourishment. 

The following excellent article relative to oral 
geography recently appeared in one of the Eastern 
journals: 



no PlaIxNT Talks with Student Teachers. 

"incidental, miscellaneous, general teaching. 

Be^in anywhere. In imagination, go anywhere. 

1. Tell the children interesting stories about the 
great rivers; the great deserts; the ocean; the high- 
est mountains; the ice-fields of theNorth; the swamps 
and jungles of the South; the prairies of the West; 
the Coral Islands, large and small; the brook, whose 
course you traced yesterday from its source among 
the hills to the river which it helped to fill; the Cat- 
aract of Niagara with its thunder and mist, or the 
Great Lakes, on which one may sail day after day 
without seeing land. 

Tell stories of curious plants and animals; the 
curious peoples and customs of foreign lands; the 
lines of commerce which man has established over 
the sea and across the continents. Anything and 
everything which is interesting, (and what is not?) 
may be used to help children to realize that what 
they see about them is only a small part of what is; 
that the world is big, and broad, and full of won- 
ders, but fuller still of people, old and young, like 
those they know, and yet unlike them, partly be- 
cause they see and have such different things around 
them. 

2. Use pictures, the best you can find, all you 
can find of natural scenery, houses and people, cities 
and villages, occupations and pastimes, peculiar 
forms of vegetation, peculiar animals, etc., etc. Let 



Geography. hi 

the class study these pictures aud talk about them; 
let them try to reproduce the simplest of them on 
slate or blackboard. 

3. Encourage the- pupils to make collections of 
Fruite and Vegetables, Flowers, Seeds, Nuts, Spices 
like clove, cinnamon and nutmeg, Medicine Products 
like camphor, poppy, and the castor bean; of some 
form of Clothing Plants like cotton; and dye and 
building woods." 



CHAPTER X!ll 



ADVANCED GEOGRAPHY. 



The following topical outline is suggested, ac- 
cording to which we may obtain and arrange our 
knowledge of every continent and state without ref- 
erence to the source whence it comes; or the order 
in which we find it. Outlines are valueless, howev- 
er, if taught mechanically and rapidly and are made 
a mere memory exercise. Considerable time should 
be given to each topic and the childi'en directed in 
studying subjects rather than words. The teacher 
should consider the meager information here given 
simply as suggestive. 

Lessons on North America. 

1. Position. 

1. Determined by class from an examination o 
a globe and a map of the hemispheres. 

2. Its Boundaries. 

1. Mathematical. 

2. Physical. 

3. Size. 

1. Actual. 

a. Length. 

b. Breadth. 

c. Area. 



Advanced Geography. 113 

d. Elevation. 

e. Seaboard. 
2. Comparative. 

Jf. Form. 

1. Triangular. 

2. Widest part toward the north, 

3. The A.rctieand Atlantic coasts of nearly equal 

length. 

5. Indentations and Projections of Coast. 

1. Arctic coast. 

a. Labrador. 

b. Greenland. 

c. Alaska. 

2. Atlantic coast. 

a. Newfoundland. 

b. Northern part — good harbors. 

c. Southern part — low. 

d. Florida. 

e. West Indies. 

3. Pacific coast. 

a. Less irregular than Atlantic. 

b. Not many islands. 

c. Shores rocky. 

6. Surface. 

1. Primary highland in the West. 

a. Mountain ranges. 

b. Basins and plateaus. 

c. Mountain peaks. 

d. Western slope. 

e. Eastern slope. 

2. Secondary highland in the East. 

a. Northern part. 

b. Southern part. 

3. Great central plain. 

a. Width. 



114 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

b. Divided by height of land. 

c. Arctic Plain. 

d. Mississippi Valley. 
7. Inland Waters. 

1. Rivers. 

a. Arctic slope. 

(a) Mackenzie. 

(b) Saskatchewan. 

b. Atlantic slope. 

(a) Mississippi. 

(b) St. Lawrence. 

(c) Rio G-rande. 

(d) Hudson. 

(e) Potomac. 

c. Pacific slope. 

(a) Colorado. 

(b) Columbia. 

(c) Frazer. 

(d) Yukon. 

2. Lakes. 

a. Superior. 

(a) Largest in the world, 

(b) Most elevated of the five Great 
Lakes. 

b. Michigan. 

(a) Lies entirely within the United 
States. 

c. Huron. 

(a) Nearly a crescent. 

(b) Its waters very deep. 

d. Erie. 

(a) Noted for its fearful storms. 

(b) Shallow waters. 

e. Ontario. 

(a) Never closed by ice. 



Advanced Geography. 115 

f. Great Salt Lake. 
(a) Has no outlet. 

8. Climate. 

1. Northern region includes 

a. Canada. 

b. Greenland. 

c. Iceland. 

d. Alaska. 

2. Central region — teniperale zone. 

3. Southern region — torrid zone. 

9. Soils. 

10. Productions. 

1. Vegetable. 

a. Northern regions — drj' and cold. 

(a) Lichens. 

(b) Scanty grasses. 

(c) Dwarfish flowers in extreme North. 
(«1) Pines and furs in the South 

b. Central region — mild climate. 

(a) Grains. 

(b) Fruits. 

(c) Vegetables. 

(d) Sugar cane. 

(e) Hay. 

(f) Cotton. 

(g) Tobacco. 

c. Southern region — hot and moist. 

(a) Tropical fruits. 

(b) Palms. 

(c) Sugarcane. 

(d) Dye woods. 

(e) Cabinet woods. 

2. Animals. 

a. Northern region, 
(a) Whale.' 



ii6 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

(b) Seal. 

(c) Walrus. 

(d) Seal. 

b. Central region. 

(a) Bear. 

(b) Deer. 

(c) Wolf. 

(d) Pantber. 

(e) Bison. 

(f) Elk. 

c. Soutbern region 

(a) Alligators. 

(b) Monkeys. 

(c) Parrots. 

(d) Lizards. 
11. People. 

1. Occupations. 

a. Agriculture. 

b. Manufacturing. 

c. Mining. 

d. Fisbing. 

e. Commerce. 

(a) Amount. 

(b) Exports. 

(c) Imports. 

2. Eaiiroads— Continental, etc. 
.8. Towns. 

a. Capital. 

b. Commercial. 

c. Manufacturing. 

4. Education. 

5. Religion. 

6. Government. 

7. History. 



Advanced Geography. 117 

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 

I. On Teaching Coasts. 

1. Ask pupils to take imaginary journeys fle- 
scribiiig various ])oiiits visitedj thus the coast of 
L'lbrador is ^vild and rockj-; Alaska is low and 
swampy; San Francisco, the best harbor on the Pa- 
cific coast, etc. 

2. Comparison of each coast with others. 

3. Contrasts and resemblances noted. 

4. Mental pictures secured through interesting 
descriptions read in the class. 

II. On Teaching Surface. 

1. Modeling in sarjd. 

2. Comparison of Primary highlands with Sec- 
ondary. 

3. Descriptions of mountain scenery read or 
given orally. 

4. Pictures. 

6. Diagrams showing comparative heights of 
mountains 

///. On Teaching Rivers. 

1. Show that the drainage of a countrj' is deter- 
mined by its great slopes. 

2. Contrast and compare each river system with 
the others. 

3. Compare the lengths of various rivers by 
means of a diagram. 



ii8 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

4. Promote interest by showing yjictiires and 
reading descriptions of scenery along the banks. 

5. Imaginary journeys. 

IV. On Teaching Prodnciions. 

In teaching the productions of any continent, en- 
courage the children to make collections of their 
own. A grain of coffee will make an interesting les- 
son. Describe the countries from which the coffee 
is brought, the route by which it comes to us, and 
the people who are engaged in its production. 

Rice, sugar, cotton, wool, all of them, articles 
which can be had in any home, will do for lessons. 
Why do not wheat districts produce rice? Topics of 
this kind will make pupils think, reason and inquire. 

international trade or commerce. 

Points to be Discussed. 

1. Man must have food, clothing and shelter. 

2. Men differ in their abilities. 

3. Different countries produce different ma- 
terials. 

4. Exchange of goods is called commerce. 

5. Domestic commerce; foreign commerce. 

6. Methods of transporting goods. 

7. Resources of different countries. 

8. Money. 



Advanced Geography. 119 

• map drawing. 

Drawing is the language of the eye, and it often 
enables us to communicate what could not be well 
told in words. A traveler in a strange country can 
often convey more true knowledge by a rough sketch 
of the object than he could by a labored description. 
Map drawing, to be of practical value, should begin 
as soon as pupil has learned to distinguish absolute 
and relative direction, and must be a gradually de- 
veloping process. The first attempts are simple 
representations of the table top, or the floor of the 
school room. The next step may be a map of the 
school grounds or neighborhood. 

In representing the continents, the first lessons 
should be entirely by imitation. It is thought that 
an elaborate system of construction lines and sup- 
plied measurements waste time and call attention 
from the object sought. 

General proportions of a continent should be no- 
ticed, and indicated with straight lines. Draw one 
coastline at a time, noticing largest projections and 
indentations. As the hand moves, try to secure 
mental pictures of what one would actually see if he 
were traveling along the line indicated. 

Be satisfied with approximate accuracy rather 
than minuteness of detail. Eemember that the ob- 
ject of map drawing is not to train the child to draw 



I20 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

beautiful maps, but to aid liim in recitation and in 
retaining his knowledge. 

A r» interesting and profitable exercise is to com- 
bine map drawing with the oral recitation- thus: one 
pupil does the mechanical work while others name 
the lines^ anothei- may take the crayon — or the 
teacher draws while the pupils talk. In two or three 
minutes a dozen of the outlying cities are placed on 
the board, also rivers, lakes, etc. — each with its own 
particular point of interest. 

There is but little educational value in merely 
copying a map, hence, pupils should be trained to 
make memory maps of the facts they study. Having 
the outline of a continent on the board, it is a good 
plan to call for volunteers to 

1. Putin five rivers as called for by the pupils. 

2. Put in five cities as called for. 

3. Put in five mountain ranges. 

4. Put in the most prominent lakes. 

5. Put in individual rivers, cities, etc., as called 
for. 

This plan of reviewing on outlines is very pleas- 
ing to pupils. 

In studying the United States, do not separate a 
map of a group altogether from the map of the 
whole. To do so, confuses the children with refer- 
ence to the relation of a group to other groups and 
to the whole country. Have a large map of the 
United States in sight and require one pupil to draw 



Advanced Geogkaphv. 121 

his map as a pai't of tlie l:iigc tnaf), vvliile otliei mem- 
bers ai-e 'Ira wing the gi-oiip. 

It is somelimes well lo require pupils to mnke 
rapi'i aufl bold sketches without special attempt at 
beauty or exactness; call these sketches, however, ami 
distinguish between the mnking of them and the 
making of maps. 

The following suggestions are im])ortant if you 
would have your map drawir<g possess much value: 

1. Never allow any map in sight at the time of 
the exercise. 

2. See that the maps are large as space will 
permit. 

3. Pupil should re])resetit just the things he has 
studied — no more. 

4. Insist that the map is finished with neatness 
and good taste. 

TEST QUESTIONS FOR GENERAL REVIEW IN GEOGRAPHY. 

1. Derine watei- shed; mountain system. 

2. Name and locate the different river S3'stems 
of the earth. 

3. Why are rivers very important to civiliza- 
tion? 

4. Name and locate the principal mountain sys- 
tems of the earth. 

5. Name five principal exports and imports of 
the grand divisions. 



122 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

6. Name ihe principal cotton and rice ijr?'owin^ 
rcijions of the world. 

7. Name the wheat, cotton, tea, coffee, and fruit 
regions. 

8. Where are the most important gold, silver, 
diamond, copper, lead, coal, tin, zinc, and v«alt re- 
gions? 

9. Go hy water from New York to London. 

10. Go by railroad from New York to San Fran- 
cisco. 

11. Why is Western Europe much warmer and 
moister than Eastern Europe? 

12. Name the different races of men. 

13. Name the three leadir^g commercial coun- 
tries. 

14. Describe the structure of Eastern Asia with 
its central highlands andslopes. 

15. What two sj'stems of govei-nment prevail 
among the civilized nations of the lan(i? 

16. How is the surface of the earth divided in 
respect to temperature? 

17. A vessel sails for England laden with ma- 
hogany, dye stuffs and tobacco; where is she proba- 
bly from? 

18. Name a political division of Europe that is 
an island; one that is a peninsula; one that has no 
seaport. 

19. Give the proofs that the earth is round. 

20. What are the prevailing religions of the 
world? 



CHAPTER XIV. 
HISTOEY. 

Divisions. 

History is divided iuto two gieat braiichcs: the 
Facts of History mid the Philosop/ry of History. The 
former divisioti enibiaces the oiderlv and sj'stematic 
statement of the events that have occurred in the 
lives of individuals and nations. The Philosophy of 
Ilistor}' endeavors to. ascertain the causes which 
have coTitiibuted to produce the different changes in 
society and nations, and from these to predict the 
future condition and destiny of mankind. 

Stories. 

Li ke geography, history ranks with the culture 
studies. The mercoiy, the reason, the imagination, 
are all brought into play. The first lessons should 
concern persons, and story telling is the first stage in 
learning this subject. Every event in history has 
associated with it lives of great men and women who 
are the chief actors. A mother has no trouble in 
teaching her child the story of Moses, or the wan- 
derings of the Israelites in the wilderness, and the 
teacher, if propeidy qualified, ought to have no 



124 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

trouble iti teaching the story of Columbus, or the 
Pilgrim Fathers. 

Now, to be successful, the teacher must first /mow 
the facts to be given; second, he must understand the 
art of telling the story so as to make it pictorial. 
"Oat of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speak- 
eth" in the histoi-y class, at least. Imperfect knowl- 
edge, on the part of the teacher, leads to hesitation, 
corrections and blunders, all of which causes the 
child's mind to wander and the exercise becomes 
distasteful, wearisome, and well nigh fruitless. 

Details. 

The sequence of events should not be strictly ad- 
hered to in the lower giades. Too many dates, 
names, and other details mustnot be required, as the 
memory will be over taxed and perhaps confused. 
Chil(Jren have not the power of mind to grasp and 
retain a long series of historical events. A judicious 
selection should be made--remembering that we are 
to teach — not the date of the fall of Quebec, but the 
heroism of Wolfe and Montcalm; not where Brad- 
dock died, so much as why he died there; not only 
the narrative part, but the business of history. 

Geography. 

Instruction in history should be given in connec- 
tion with geography. Before attempting to teach 
the facts of the history of any colony, a special les- 



History. 125 

son ifi ireoi^raphy should be assigned and i-ecited; 
])npils should also be trained to the habit 01 eon- 
statitly refen-ing to map? when studying the lesson, 
and should he requiied to illustrate the routes of 
voyagers, the march of an army, the line battle, the 
location of* forces, etc. 

Reference Books. 

In assigning the lesson, call attention to impor- 
tant points; ask the children if they have any his- 
tory at home with the lesson in it; tell them in what 
})age, in the books of reference at school, they will 
find the points needed. Historical novels, the lives 
of heroes, etc., are ind is])ensabie to the ciriti vation of 
historical imagination. The books to be recom- 
mended must of course, vary with the advancement 
of the children. The following is believed to be an 
all around list. 

Young Folks' History of the United States. — 
Higginson. 

Boys of '76 and Old Times in the Colonies. — 
Carl et on. 

Child's History of the United States. — Goodrich. 

Evangeline. — Lon gfello w . 

Little Duke and Prince and Page. — Miss Yonge. 

B log ra ph ica I Port r a its . 
The following method has been used with good 
results, and recommends itself to teachers in search 
of a device to awaken an interest in the historj^ les- 



126 Plain Talks with Student Teachp:ks. 

son. Select a liyt of noted historical characters from 
those whom the pupils have studied about, and ^ive 
as vivid a desci'iptioii of each as possible, somelioies 
telling <^"'j prominent ttaits of character and mind, 
and sometimes describing in a j)ict uresque maL'ner, a 
scene in wliich the chai-ftcter figured, thus: 

"The earth is covered, with snow; human foot- 
prints are marked with blood. There are rows of 
comfortless hnts, and hu Idlefi in them are men with- 
out even straw oi- blankets to keep them warm. 
They sleep on the bare earth, hungry, and benumbed 
by cold. The sick die unattended, without food or 
medicine. Amid ail this discomfort is the leader of 
these men, shaiing their w^ant and famine, and in- 
spiring them with ])atrioiism. Under all circum- 
stances he is calm, dignified, and hopeful. 

Who was Ibis patriot and commander?" 

As soon as ]ju|»ils have caught the idea, require 
them to give the descriptions. 

Much is to be gained by writing on the board, 
noted sayings of great men, and celebrating anniver- 
saries and birthdays of those who have become fa- 
mous. 

Outlines. 

To teach history is like painting in water colors. 
First a general outline is made; then more is added; 
then tbe whole is gone over with care. Take the 
history of Virginia for example: 















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8 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Dates. 

As has been previously intimated, the memory 
should not be loaded down with chroru^loixical de- 
tails. Below will he found a list of dates that are 
memorable in American history, each one of which 
may be ma'le the basis of a very interesting talk that 
will stimulate pupils to further reading- ori the sub- 
ject: 

1492_The discovery of the New World by Col- 
umbus. 

1607— The settlement of Virginia by the English. 

1614— The settlementof New York by the Dutch. 

1619 — The meeting of the first legislative body, 
House of Burgesses. 

1620— The settlement of Plymouth by the Pil- 
grims. 

1630— The settlement of Boston. 

1776 — The Declaration of Independence. sshw^ 

1777 — The surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga. 

1781 — The ratification of the Articles of Confed- 
eration, 

1783— The Second Treaty of Paris, defining the 
extent of the United States. 

1787 — The Constitutional Convention and the 
Ordinance of '87. 

1789 — The beginning of the National Government 
under Washinefton. 



History. 129 

1793 —The inventior) of the cotton gin bj- Whit- 
ney. 

1807 — The successful voyage of the "Clejmont." 

1813— The battle of Lake Erie. 

1842— The Webster-Ashburton treaty, Northeast 
boundary. 

1844 — The invention of the telegraph. 

1846 — The settlement of Northwest boundary 
trouble. 

1848 — The treaty of Gaudaloiipe Hidalgo — South- 
west boundary. 

1863— The battle of Gettysburg. 

1876 — The Centennial Celebration of American 
Independence. 

1892, '93— World's Columbian Exposition at Chi- 
cago. 

General Suggestions. 

1. In all grades of work, localize events by 
means of maps and plans. 

2. Make cause and result of events prominent. 

3. Require a knowledge of the geography of the 
country in which the events occur. 

4. Do not require a slavish adherence to text- 
books; only some beautifully expressed thought. 

5. Give pecularities of customs of peoples men- 
tioned. 

6. Use biography to teach moral lessons: cour- 



130 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

age, self denial, fidelitj^ to trust, perseverance, pa- 
triotism, humanity. 

7. Assign lesson by topics rather than by pages. 

8. Kequire each pupil to keep a note-book. 

9. Show how the history of a country depends 
upon its geography. 

10. Be on the alert constantly for coincidences 
and contrasts. 

Study of a war includes: 

1. Parties. 

2. Causes. 

3. Occasion. 

4. Campaigns. 

5. Results; immediate and remote. 
Study of an administration includes: 

1. Political issues. 

2. Political changes. 

3. Industrial changes. 

4. Foreign relations. 

5. Extension of territory and settlements. 



CHAPTER XV. 

MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS. 

Government. 

It is assumed that the "new teacher" at whom 
this is directed, has exercised good judgment in se- 
lecting his first school, that he has made the neces- 
sary preparation for the first day, and that he has 
taken some pains to secure the support of trustees 
and parents in all reasonable requirements. 

The first and most important principle that he 
must adopt is, that to govern others he must govern 
himself. Loss of temper is a loss of power. Chil- 
dren study a new teacher as a commander studies a 
fort be expects to capture. If there is a weak point 
indicated by his presence, in movement, attitude, or 
expression — if he can be teased, irritated, or made 
angry, be assured the weakness will be discovered 
and the charge made there. 

The second element is that of courage. Pupils 
instinctively recognize a quiet, unalterable deter- 
mination to control them and in most cases make a 
complete and lasting surrender, provided there is 
plenty of nutritious food at hand in the way of good 
teaching and training. 



132 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

A gentleman widely known for his power as a 
disciplinarian was asked to tell how he governed a 
school. He replied, "There is no formula for govern- 
ing — do DOt seek it. Experience has taught me sev- 
eral principles which may do you service. Strong 
minds exert a strange influence over others. You 
have doubtless experienced this; when you are fully 
yourself, you can put your whole mind on the im- 
mediate duty; when you are calm and your thoughts 
are clear, you have managed better than when you 
were vexed or confused, or distracted by mental or 
bodily influence. It seems that anyone would learn 
this lesson. Keep concentrated all your attention 
on your present duty; allow no distracting thought, 
no worry, to destroy this wholesome, this indispen- 
sable equilibrium; concentrate, don't dissipate your 
powers." 

To secure good government the teacher should 
possess: 

Firmness. By this, is meant that he exacts not a 
half yielding to his requests, but an entire and hearty 
compliance therewith. Having a clear conception of 
the end desired, a proper knowledge of all the means 
to be employed, a calm reliance upon the worth of 
his own convictions, he makes an undeviating eff^ort 
toward the end. This same teacher also possesses 
tact which leads him to suggest and request rather 
than to command^ to avoid friction b}^ applying the 



Miscellaneous Suggestions. 133 

oil of good nature, and in ail things attracts but rarely 
forces. 

The pupils find him uniform, making the same de- 
mands and requiring the same obedience each day. 

He is withal Impartial, requiring the same obe- 
dience from all to the same demands — and preventive, 
seeking alwa^'S to deter from, rather than to punish 
offenses. Finally, that while fear is the beginning 
of wisdom, even that is cast out through "perfect 
love.'' 

School Boom Manners. 

If manners do not make a man, they certainly 
make a great part of him: hence it is exceedingly 
desirable that deportment should be made the sub- 
ject of definite instiuction in every school. "A 
beautiful behavior is the finest of all arts" says Em- 
erson. Children are supposed to learn manners at 
home, but when they enter school the teacher is 
made to sustain the relation of parent to the child 
for specific purposes, and is a co-laborer with the 
parent in the child's education. 

There is something of far greater influence than 
any formal principles and rules that the teacher, may 
formulate, and that is his real character as it uncon- 
sciously manifests itself in his ordinary words and 
deeds. That is the best school, therefore, in which 
the teacher, uniformly setting an attractive example 



134 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

of graceful and refined demeanor, rigidly insists on 
good manners in the pupils. 

The following "rules of politeness" are not given 
in the forms of commands and prohibitions, but rath- 
er as suggestions and recommendations for pupils to 
voluntarily adopt. Make each direction a subject of 
conversation with your pupils: 

1. True politeness consists in having and show- 
ing due regard for the feelings, comfort and con- 
venience of others. 

2. Do not make witticisms at the expense of 
others which you would not wish to have made up- 
on yourself. 

3. Avoid loud talking or laughing in school or 
in company. 

4. Be rude to none; rudeness harms not even 
the humblest and poorest to whom it is directed, but 
it injures the exhibitors. 

5. Resolve, on being received as a member of 
the school, to cheerfully comply with all the require- 
ments of the teachers, and faithfully perform every 
duty assigned you. 

6. Do not ask another to do what you would not 
be glad to do under similar circumstances. 

7. Be particularly courteous to new pupils. 

8. Scuffling, striking, pushing, or rudeness of 
any kind must never be practiced under any circum- 
stances in the school building. 

9. Marking or writing on the desks, walls or 



Miscellaneous Suggestions. 135 

any part of the building exhibits bad taste or a vic- 
ious disposition to deface and destroy property. 

10. 
'Please' unlocks the casket, and shows the jewels 

rare; 
'Thank you' is the golden coin that pays for sight 

so fair. 
'To oblige me' and 'You're welcome/ 'Excuse me' 

and 'Be so kind,' 
All these littles make politeness, and its rules we'll 

ever mind." 

Some Don'ts in School Management. 

1. Don't say "don't" when you can avoid it. 
The don'ts are often necessary, but they also intrude 
where they could easily be spared. Children prefer 
the positive to the negative. Fill their time and 
thought with directions for doing. 

2. Don't make pretenses; your pupils will find 
you out. 

3. Don't make your recitations too long. If 
force is spent on one subject; listlessness and indif- 
ference will characterize others. 

4. Don't try to get on too fast. Teach thorough- 
ly and remember that you are laying the foundations 
of knowledge. 

5. Don't be cross; be mild and firm and you will 
hold your pupils. 

6. Don't allow grave offenses to pass unnoticed. 



136 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

Dignity, kindly tones, and excellency of speech are 
well, but they must be mixed with a goodly amount 
of "Thou shall" and "Thou shalt not." 

7. Don't speak when a look will do. Words are 
common and pupils get used to them. Besides they 
attract attention. 

8. Don't tiy to teach what you don't thort)Ughly 
know. Remember that knowledge is yotir own stock in 
trade. 

9. Don't be tempted to give undue attention to 
the older, to the neglect of the younger classes. 
Your obligations are the same to all. 

10. Don't punish hastily, or in anger. Coi-poral 
punishment is a last resort and should be inflicted 
apart from the school, and long enough after the of- 
fense for calm and sober reflection on the part of 
both teacher and pupil. 

Good Books for Children. 

Captain January. 

Little Women. 

Uncle Tom's Cabin. 

Ben Hur. 

Little Lord Fauntleroy. 

Little Men. 

Ivanhoe. 

David Copperfield. 

An Old-Fashioned Girl. 

Robinson Crusoe. 



Miscellaneous Suggestions. 137 

RamoDu. 

John Halifax. 

The Bible. 

Tom Brown at Rugby. 

Aunt Jo's Boys. 

Longfellow's Poems. 

Swiss Family Robinson. 

Eight Cousins. 

Boys of '76. 

Water Babies. 

Alice in Wonderland. 

Sara Crewe. 

Anderson's Fairy Tales. 

Little Folks in Furs and Feathers. 

Fairyland of Science. 

The Pathfinder. 

We G-irls. 

Hoosicr School Boy. 

.^sop's Fables. 

Lives of Poor Boys Who Became Famous. 

Lives of Poor Girls Who Became Famous. 

The Little Master. 

Tales From Shakespeare. 

The Birds' Christmas Carol. 



CHAPTER XV!, 



Qe(r\S For primary U/orl^. 



I 



1. Strive for the best and guard against the worst. 

2. He only is a well educated boy who has a good 

determination. 

3. All that you do, do with your might, 

Things done by halves are never done right, 
One thing at a time and that done well 
Is a very good rule as many can tell. 

4 A wise child makes a good plan and is content 
to work and wait. 

5. Deal with another as youM have 

Another deal with you; 
What you're unwilling to receive 
Be sure you never do. 

6. The boy who is kind to his mother will be glad 

to remember it when he becomes a man. 

7. Moments are useless trifled away, 

So work while you work and play while you 
play. 



Gems for Primary Work. 139 

8. Were I you, little lad, I would see that each day 

Was swept clean ere 'twas folded away: 
Aye, so clean that at night I conld say with all 
truth: 
"'Tis a bit of s^ood work done to-day." 

— The Fountain. 

9. There is nothing good in idleness. 

10. One rule to guide us in our life 

Is always good and true; 
^Tis do to others as you would 
That they should do to you. 

— The Teacher's World. 

11. Drive the nail aright boys, 

Hit it on the head; 
Strike with all your might, boys, 
While the iron is red. 

12. If a task is once begun, 

Never leave it till it's done; 
Be the labor great or small, 
Do it well or not at all. 

13. Birds in their little nests agree 

That's very true, no doubt, 
But when the nests have grow^n too small, — 
Then comes the falling out. 

— From Our Little Ones and The Nursery, 

14. 'Tis the will that makes the action good or ill. 



I40 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

15. Kind hearts are the gardens, 

Kind thoughts are the )-oots, 
Kind words are the blossoms, 
Kind deeds are the fruits. 

16. Speak the truth and speak it ever, 

Cost it what it will, 
He who hides the wrong he did 
Does the wrong thing still. 

17. The things we do, the words we've spoken, 

Are wound about the heart, 
Into the web of life are woven, 
And of the woof a part. 

— The Primary Teacher. 

18. Think how^ simple things and lowly 

Have a part in nature's plan. 
How the great have small beginnings, -- 
And the child will be a man. 

19. There's many a battle fought daily 

The world knows nothing about; 
There's many a brave little soldier 
Whose strength puts a legion to rout. 

— The Fountain. 

20. Hearts, like doors, can ope with ease 

To very, very little keys. 
And two are these, "I thank you, sir,'^ 
And "If you please." 



Gems for Primary Work. 141 

21. A little bit of patience, 

Often makes the sunshine conne, 
An(i a little bit of love 

Makes a very happy honne. 
A little bit of hope 

Makes a rainy day look gay, 
And a little bit of charity 

Makes ^lad a weary way. 

— Selected. 

22. There's a knowing little proverb 

In the sunn}^ land of Spain, 
Bat in Northland as in Southland 

Is the meaning clear and plain. 
Lock it np within your heart; 

Neither lose nor lend it — 
Two it takes to make a quarrel, 

One can alwa3^s end it. 

The Fountain. 

23. I've something to tell you, 

A plan you can try — 
How to be very good, 

As the hours go bj^. 
A plan very simple, 

For child or for man; 
And this is the way — 

"Do the best that you can." 

— Wallace. 



142 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

24. If 3^ou gently touch a nettle, 

It will sting you for your pains; 
Grasp it like a la'l of mettle, 
And it soft as silk remains. 

25. Dare to speak the truth, my boys, 

Speak it without fear; 
Speak it bravely, nobly, boldly, 

Though the world should jeer; 
All things else with time may vanish, 

Truth must still remain; 
Crushed to earth, the sages tell us. 

It will rise again. 

26. "I can't" is a sluggard too lazy to w^ork; 
From duty he shrinks, every task he will shirk. 
No bread on his board, and no meal in his bag. 
His house is a ruin, his coat is a rag. 

27. Dare to do right, dare to be true, 

For you have a work, no other can do; 
Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well, 
Angels will hasten the story to tell. 

28. Work with the heart and work with the brain, 

Work with the hands and work with a will. 
Step after step, we shall reach the high plain, 
Then pull away cheerily, work with a will. 



Gems. i43 



Qefi\2 per f\d\J3r)^ed U/orK- 



1. So live, so act that every hour 
May die as dies the natural flower; 
That every word and every deed 
May bear within itself the seed 
Of future good and future need. 

— Longfellow. 

2. "We rise by things that are 'neath our feet, 

By what we have mastered of good and gain; 

By the pride deposed and the passion slain, 

And the vanquished ills that we hourly meet." 

—J. G. Holland. 

8. In these lives of ours, tender little acts do more 
to bind hearts together, than great or heroic 
deed; since the first are like the dear daily 
bread none can do without; the latter, occa- 
sional feasts, beautiful and memorable, but 
not possible to all. — Louisa M. Alcott. 

5. There is no school house like God's large school 
house; and there are no school days to be com- 
pared to the three score and ten years in 
which we move to and fro about this school 
house of the Father, not with our books slung 
over the shoulder, but carried in the heart. 



144 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

4. The heart is the jeweleri casket, 
And kindness the golden key, 
That opens the doors of the numberless rooms 
In the Castle of Courtesy. 

6. That day is best wherein we give 

A thought to others' sorrows; 
Forgetting self, we learn to live, 

And blessings born of kindly deeds 
Make golden our to-morrow. 

— Rose Hartwick Thorpe. 

V. We look before and after, and pine for what is 
naught; 
Our sincerest laughter with some pain is fraught; 
Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest 

thought. q \ 

— Longfellow. ' • 

8. The ODly way to shine, even in this false world, 

is to be modest and unassuming. Falsehood 
may be a thick crust; but, in the course of 
time, truth will find a place to break through. 

9. Press bravely on and reach the goal 

And gain the prize and wear the crown, 
Faint not! For to the steadfast soul 

Come wealth and honor and renown. 
To thine own self be true and keep 

Thy mind from sloth, thy heart from soil; 



Gems. 145 

Press on! aod thou shall surely reap 
A heavenly harvest foi- thy toil. 

— Park Benjamin. 

10. Such is the woild. Understand it, despise it, 
love itj cheerfully hold on thy way through 
it, with thy eye on the highest loadstone. — 
CarJyle. 

li. The torch of freedom God has lit 

Burns upward toward tfie Infinite, 
And through all hindrances it will 
And Wdi/sf and shall burn upward still. 

— Gerald Massey. 

12. Every wise observer knows. 

Every watchful gazer sees, 
Nothing grand or beautiful grows 

Save by gradual, slow degrees. 
Ye who toil with a purpose high, 

And fondly the proud result await. 
Murmur not as the days go by 

That the season is long, the harvest late. 

13. • But I've learned one thing; an' it cheers a man 

In always a-doing the best he can; 
That whether, on the big book, a blot 
Gets over a fellow's name or not, 
Whenever he does a deed that's white, 
It's credited to him fair and right. 

— Will Carltion. 
11 . 



146 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

14. Kindness will always do good. It makes others 
• happy — and that is doing good. It prompts 

U8 to seek to benefit others — and that is doing 
good. It makes others gentle and benignant 
— and that is doing good Albert Barnes. 

15. Ah, if our souls but poise and swing 
Like the needle in its brazen ring, 
Ever level. and ever true 

To the toil and the tasks we have to do, 
We shall sail securely and safely reach 
The Fortunate Isles, on whose shining beach 
The sights we see and the sounds we hear 
Will be those of joy aad not of fear. 

— Longfellow. 

16. Every lie, great or small, is the brink of a 
precipice, the depth of which nothing but 
omniscience can fathom. — Dr, Beade. 

17. We are not rich merely because we can buy, 

but only when we can enjoy, hence culture is 
the true basis of happiness J. N. Patrick. 

18. Words of kindness we have spoken 
May, when we have passed away. 
Ileal, perhaps, a spirit broken. 
Guide a brother led astray. 

— J. Hazen. 



Gems. 147 

19. Luck lies abed in dreams to number 

The coins of future riches vasi; 
Labor arising from his slumber, 

Earns pence that grows to pounds at last. 

20. No man is born into the world whose work 
Is not born with him; there is always work, 
And tools to work withal for those who will; 
And blessed are the bands of toil. 

— James Russdl LoicdL 

21. Work, work, my boy! be not afraid. 

Look labor boldly in the face; 
Take up the hammer or the spade, 

And blush not for your humble place. 
There's glory in the shuttle's song; 

There's triumph in the anvil's stroke; 
There's merit in the brave and strong 

Who dig the mine or fell the oak. 

— Teachers' World. 

22. Dare to do the best that's in you, 

Boys — be not afraid; 
Do it though the world oppose you — 

Thus are heroes made. 
To the summit of the conflict 

Let your courage grow; 
Those that never stem the current, 

Never learn to row. 

— Mrs. H. A. Chute. 



148 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

* 

23. He liveth long who liveth well, 

All else is life but flung awaj^; 
He liveth longest who can tell 

Of true things truly done each day. 

24. God asks of thee works as well as words; and, 

more. He asks of thee works first, and words 
after. And better it is to praise Him truly by 
works without wv)rds, than falsely b}^ words 
without works — Rev. Chas. Kingsley. 

25. "Ever or) ward, ever upward," 

Let your watchword be; 
In the vanguard plant your colors. 

Where the world may see, 
Bold inscribed upon your banner, 

Justice, truth and right, 
Pressing forward, onward, upward. 
To the highest height. 

— Golden Days. 

26. A kind word often so endears 

It echoes sweetly through the years — 
Forgotten by the tongue that spoke, 
Remembered by the heart it woke. 

27. History, with all its volumes vast, teaches but 

one lesson and developes but one truth: Ab- 
solute right is final victory in every contest. — 
W. D. Simonds. 



Gems. 149 

28. Yesterday now is n part of forever, 

Bound up iti a slieaf, whicli God holds tight, 
With sad days and bad days and glad days, 
Which never shall visit us more with their 

bloom or their blight, 
Their fullness of sunshine or sorrowful night. 

— Susan Coolidge. 

29. Dreams, books, are each a world; and books we 

know. 
Area substantial world, pure and good; 
Eound these, wn'ih tendrils strong as flesh and 
blood, 
Our pastime and our happiness will grow\ 

— Wordsworth. 

30. The morn of life is like the dawn of day, full of 

purity, of imagery and harmony. — Chateau- 
briand. 

31. Though fools may count their riches 

By shillings, pounds and pence, 
The best of wealth is youth and health, 
And good, sound common sense. 

32. Perfect growth by little shows. 

He who hastes shall lose by speed. 
He who clutches mars by greed. 
He who hurries spoils the deed. 



150 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

33. The bria^ht days of youth is the seed time of 

life. Every action is a seed whose good or 
evil fruit will be the happiness or misery of 
after life. 

34. The love of books is a love which requires 

neither justification, apology or defence. It 
is a good thing in itself; a possession to be 
thankful for, to rejoice over, to be proud of, 
and to sing praises for. With this love in his 
heart no man is ever poor; ever without 
friends, or the means of making his life love- 
ly, beautiful and happy J. A. Langford. 

35. The new year lies before you, free from care, 
All its days are pages, white and fair, 

Write thou then thy record, for it aye shall 

stand 
When heaving sea no more shall chafe the solid 

land. 

36. Ah me! those joyous days are gone, 
I little dreamed till they were flown 
How fleeting were the hours; 

For lest he break the pleasing spell. 
Time bears for youth a muffled bell 
And hides his face in flowers. 

— Saxe. 



Gems. 151 

37. Knowledge is now no more a fountain sealed, 
Drink deep, until the habits of the slave, 
The sins of emptiness, gossip and spite 

And slander die. 
Better not be at all, than not be noble. 

38. A lesson of daily human life; 

We build, though we may not see. 
For Time and Eternity, day by day. 
The character that shall be. 

89. Hath any one wronged thee? Be bravely re- 
venged. Slight it and the work is begun; for- 
give it and it is finished. He is below him- 
self that is not above an injury Quarles. 

40. Judge not; the working of his brain 

And of his heart thou canst not see; 
What looks to thy dim eyes a stain, 

In Grod's pure light may only be 
A scar brought from some well worn field 

Where thou wouldst only faint and yield. 

41. He who has injured thee was either stronger or 

weaker. If weaker, spare him; if stronger, 
spare thyself. — Seneca. 

42. The years have linings just as goblets do, 
The old year is the lining of the new; 
Filled with the wine of precious memories, 
The golden Was doth line the silver Is. 



152 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

43. To-day is the summit of duty and life, 
The path of endeavor, the arena of strife; 
To-day is ours only, work, work while you may, 
There is no to-morrow, but only to-day. 

44. The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to 

every man the reflection of his own face. 
Frown at it, and it will turn and look sourly 
upon youj laugh at it and with it, and it is a 

joll^y, kind companion William Makepeace 

Thackeray. 

45. The bravest trophy ever man obtained. 

Is that which o'er himself, himself hath gained. 

46. Wanted — the world wants boys to-day. 
And she offers them all she has for pay — 
Honor, wealth, position, fame, 

A useful life and a deathless name. 

Boys to shape the paths for men, 

Boys to guide the plough and pen. 

Boys to forward the tasks begun; 

For the world's great work is never done. 

47. This world has work for us^ we must refuse 

No honest task, nor uncongenial toil; 
Fear not your feet to tire, nor robe to soil, 
Nor let your hands grow white for want of use. 

— Thomas Ashe. 



Gems. 153 

48. Let fraud und wron^ and baseness shiver, 

For still between them and the sky 
The falcon Truth hangs poised forever, 
And marks them with his vengeful eye. 

— Lowell. 

Each little word, or thought, or deed 
Is clipped by the chisel we wield; 

Each loving plan foi' another's good 
Is wrought in the life w^e build. 

— School Jounud. 

49. Our grand business is, not to see what lies dim- 

ly at a distance, but to do what lies clearl}- at 
hand Carlyle. 

50. Be good, my child, and let who will be clever; 

Do noble deed, not dream thorn all day long, 
And so make life, death, and that vast forever 
One grand, sweet song. 

. — Chas. King si ey. 

51. The world is an echo that returns to each of us 

what we say Emerson. 

52. One little gi'aiu in the sandy bars; 
One little flower in a field of flowers; 
One little star in a heaveti of stars; 
One little hour in a year of hours; 
What if it makes, or what if it mars/' 



154 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

But the bar is built of the little strain, 
And the little flowers make the meadows gay, 
And the little stars light the heavenly way. 
And the little hours of each little day 
Grive us all that life contains. 

— Selected. 

5.3. The best rules to form a young man are, to 
talk little, to hear much, to reflect alone upon 
what has passed in company, to distrust one's 
own opinions, and to value others that deserve 
it — Temple. 

54. Excellence comes from toil, from fidelity to 

purpose, from intelligent effort. 

55. He that has light within his own clear breast, 
May sit in the center and enjoy bright day. 
But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts 

Benighted walks under the midday sunj 
Himself is his own dungeon. 

56. Be a woman! on to duty! 

Raise the world from all that's low; 
Place high in the social heaven. 

Virtue's fair and radiant bow; 
Lend thy influence to each effort 

That shall raise our nature human. 
Be not fashion's gilded lady. 

Be a brave, true, whole-souled woman. 



Gems, 155 

57. The moments are little and unseen things — 
Light forms they have and unseen wini>;s; 
They glide o'er our heads with the morning 

beam 
And slip fi'om our grasp with tiie day's last 

gleam; 
They tick in our ears with the steady old clock. 
They stand at our hearts and there wantonlj- 

knock; 
They bid us not loiter if fame we would win, 
They knock and entreat us to gather them in. 

58. On the road of life one mile-stone more! 
In the book of life one leaf turned o'er! 

Like a great red seal is the setting sun 
On the good and evil men have done — 
Naught can to-day restore. 

— Lonij fellow. 

59. The cloudiest night has a hint of light 

Somewhere in its hiding; 
It is better far to hunt for a star 
Than the spots on the sun abiding. 

—Ella Wilcox. 

60. Small service is true service while it lasts; 

Of humblest friends, bright creature, scorn 
not one: 
The daisy, by the shadow that it casts. 

Protects the lingering dewdrop from the sun. 



156 Plain Talks with Student Teachers. 

61. Give to every mtin thine ear, but lew thy voice: 
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judg- 
ment. 

— Shakespeare. 

62. If w^ sit down at set of sun 

And count the things that we have done, 

And, counting, find 
One self-denying act, one word 
Thai cheered the heart of him who heard, 

One glance most kind 
That fell iike sunshine where it went — 
Then we may count that day well spent. 

63. Read not to contradict and confute, nor to be- 

lieve and take for granted, nor to find talk 
and discourse, but to weigh and consider. 
Some books are to be lasted, others to be 
swallowed, and some few to be chewed and 
digested; that is, some books are to be read 
only in parts; others to be read, but not cur- 
iously; and some few to be read wholly, and 
with diligence and attention. — Bacon. 

64. The fairest action of our human life 

Is scorning to revenge an injury; 
For who forgives without a further strife 

His adversary's heart to him doth tie; 
And 'tis a firmer conquest, truly said. 
To win tlie heart than overthrow the head. 



Gems. 157 

65. O land of lanclsl to thee we give 

Our prayers, our hopes, our service free; 
For thee thy sons shall nobly live. 
And at thy need shall die for thee! 

66. There is often sadness in the tone, 

And a moisture in the eye. 
And a trembling sorrow in the voice. 

When we bid a last good bye; 
But sadder far than this, I ween, 

O, sadder far than all. 
Is the heart-throb with which we strain 

To catch the last foot-fall. 

67- Like a tide our work should rise, 

Each later wave the best; 
To-morrow forever dies — 

To-day is the special test. 
Like a sawyer's work is life, 

The present makes the flaw. 
And the only field for strife 
Is the inch before the saw. 

—O'Reilly. 







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